The STAND podcast

Our young, thank God, are weary of woke and drugs and all the modern day, post-truth generation addictions and alternatives. Many turn to religion, so surveys say. Many of them, as many as 4 out of 5, may in their exploration of religion, explore and encounter the only real answer to life:OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.That man, the Nazarene, the Galilean, the carpenter, the son of the Living God, is ONE OF A KIND, a savior, redeemer, far more powerful than the strongest drug on earth. The young, the so-called Gen Z and Millennials will discover that if they really search with all their hearts.Christianity, real Christianity is not easy, not at all. It requires total commitment. There is nothing halfway or partial about becoming a real Christian. Real Christianity only occurs when one is truly BORN AGAIN.That means the recognition of SIN, something eschewed, mocked by present day society and thinking, but the requirement for biblical salvation, the recognition and confession of sin in a life and consequently, the status of the sinner in need of redemption. That is a testimony, a way of life, an explanation of real Christianity which the young in their spiritual searching must hear, and must hear clearly, directly, and without compromise or qualification. These are His words, not mine or yours:ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.That is what Gen Z needs to hear. If, says Jesus Christ, you wish to follow me, then I require that you:LAY YOUR ALL ON THE ALTAR.Not some, not something of you, nothing partial, but:ALLeverything you have and are. That is one hard message, difficult to understand in one sense, but more so, difficult to accept as a precondition of conversion and redemption. The younger generation will find out that becoming a real Chrisitan, A REAL CHRISTIAN, is not easy, not at all. They will hear more words from the master:TAKE UP MY CROSS, YOUR CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME.Be ready for the onslaughts of humankind. Be ready for a brand new, aggressive, angry, and attacking confrontation, and a brand new, aggressive:RIDICULEREJECTIONREFUSALA shunning in every way. And more. You should be ready to SELL ALL YOU HAVE if your faith journey so requires. That surely does not sound very appealing, but the willingness is a fundamental part of the conversion process.In fact, one should be ready to forsake all, to leave as Jesus said, father and mother, brother and sister, and follow me, never looking back. If that becomes necessary, if that is part of your calling, then comes the ultimate Christian challenge:YOU ARE EITHER WITH ME (THE CHRIST) OR AGAINST ME.There is no in between, no gray area, all or nothing. You can not serve two masters. If, says the Lord, you want me in your life, then it is:ALL OR NOTHING.All of this is the price, the very high price of discipleship, of partnership with Jesus Christ. These are not suggestions or options. These are commands, uncompromising commands. These are marching orders from the captain of our faith. These are hard requirements, non-negotiable, and require a whole heart and head understanding and commitment.If one is not willing to accept these spiritual terms and conditions, don't get involved. Keep looking. But know that you will never find anything better or even equal to this exciting, redeeming relationship with the Son of the Living God. Nothing comes close to such an encounter, nothing.Come to Him, young generation, but don't add anything to the spiritual contract. And don't subtract anything from the spiritual demands. This contract is a matter of all or nothing, your all or nothing. The Christ of glory wants no part of you, but only all of you. That is the message that Gen Z and millennials must hear. Those are Jesus' words and His uncompromising but lifesaving message. To accept is to enter into a relationship which will in fact produce peace, and joy, and life abundant like any could ever imagine. That new life is full of power, energy, confidence, and assurance, it is characterized by faith, and hope, and most importantly by:LOVE.It is exactly what the young seek and I do hope and pray as I am sure you do, that they will find it, and find:HIM.For no where in this world is there anyone or anything like HIM. Nothing and no one. That is what the world hungers for. That message is missing in so many places and in so many pulpits today, which is the main reason why RELIGION without HIM at the center can never satisfy, never.HE and only HE can change a life. I pray the young who seek will find:HIM.

In our world, love rules.It is the highest attribute, with fundamental characteristics of all humankind.Perhaps the finest expression of love is:MOTHER LOVEThe definition of mother, a real mother is simply put:LOVEA mother's love is the ultimate human love.It is said that THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE RULES THE WORLD. Perhaps so because so much of a child is formed in the early years by mother. One is in life so much of what a mother was. A real mother is part of the life of a child forever. What we learn at mother's knee is so often what we are. Her values become ours. We are HER.The egg of a woman is the source of all life, the fundamental stuff of the universe and when fertilized by the sperm of the male:LIFEThe most precious thing of all happens. The egg and the sperm unite and become one, but it is:GODwho gives life. At that very moment of conception, the life of a HUMAN BEING begins.That life is not a mere collection of cells as one biologist so flippantly said, but in reality, the first moments of the life of a human being, a child on the grow in the womb. That fertilized egg is a BABY. So much for abortion, which is nothing more than murder of that baby at any stage in the womb.And so the mother begins mothering, and the baby grows. The enriched womb of the mother nourishes and cherishes the baby, sensitive to every need. The morning sickness is a small price to pay for the life within. Moods and diets may change as the womb grows large and beautiful. It is really wondrous to behold the change of mother in the making with that womb at work.It is marvelous indeed to touch the nine month home of that child. The ear presses down, hoping to hear any sound from the baby. Touching, hearing, kissing, and sensing life at work are really more important than any ultrasound. God at work through Mother Nature creating life is wondrous, even miraculous.Some today are actually privileged to see the baby born. Out of the womb comes a bundle of joy, of life and yet another miracle happens. The pain of childbirth is so well worth the end result. Perhaps it is the most loving moment, the ultimate loving moment when brand new baby lays firm on mother's breasts. Having seen that, how I wonder could any potential mother abort, kill her very own child? To do so is to abort a miracle.Early on, it is the still, small voice of the mother which is perhaps the greatest teacher in life. We the infants hear that voice and remember what the voice of our mother sounds like and says for a lifetime. We do so consciously and perhaps even more importantly subconsciously. That loving voice in many ways is angelic, the early words of love. They come with touch, and they are spiritual, psychological, character forming and building. The love of a mother is every bit as important as food itself. So, in a sense, these early words are eternal for they train up the child in the way the mother wishes the child to go and to grow is not to depart from the right ways of the mother.The words of a mother to her child are melodic, soothing, comforting. They support, encourage and they make a child feel safe. A mother touches, hugs, strokes, talks and sings to her baby, episodes never to be forgotten. When all else fails and all others as well, a truly loving mother never does. She is forever, eternal.A loving mother is kind. In a world rough and confrontational, the kindness of the mother is a most necessary characteristic.A loving mother is never jealous, never envious, always willing to put the child first, in love. A real loving mother is proud of her child no matter what the child becomes.Motherly love is always positive, not negative. It looks for the best, the good and the right. But the mother renders discipline when things are wrong. The love of a real mother is tough love. That love has standards, clear, straight and simply and lovingly communicated. Real love is without compromise. A loving mother never bargains with a child.A mother explains and answers perhaps better than any teacher, helping a child to understand. A mother stretches but never pushes knowing that her child must be challenged in order to grow. There is always demand and discipline from the right mother, both easy to implement when the child knows he or she is:LOVEDA loving, Godly mother makes certain her child understands her standards and values and those of God as well.A loving Godly mother teaches the child the things of her Lord. Train up that child in the ways of faith, of Christian faith, the faith of the mother. There is no better witness for the child than a loving Christian mother, living life by those standards and the child along with her. That is faith with works, the best kind.A real loving mother gives time, quality time to the child. There is for mother and child that quality time to talk and much more importantly, and especially for mother, to:LISTENIn an age of cell phones, babysitters, fast foods, carpools and demanding social life, all of that and everything else should never, ever interfere with quality time spent by the mother with child. Truly listening, and touching, and hugging, and encouraging, respecting the child produces some of life's finest lessons. Those bonding moments are, as one psychologist has well said:PEAK MOMENTSNever to be forgotten by either. Patient, kind and understanding. Truly interested in the life of a child, not superficially so. Perhaps that is why so many mothers wished more than ever, so we are told, to stay home, build that home for husband and child and all children and to spend full time training up that child in the way in which he should go. That is what mothers are for and no other job can ever come close to that incredible responsibility and opportunity.No matter the love, child rearing is work, and hard work. It demands the time of the mother at all times. The real needs of a young child are great and they demand full time, mother always on the ready. How beautiful it is for father and husband to watch the baby breastfeed. How beautiful to see mother and child so intimately and sensitively connected. There is special nourishment from the milk of the breast but there is also the psychological nourishment, the nourishment of love and bonding, one with each other, the young and often subconscious memories lasting for a lifetime. A mother's touch, feel and taste are vitally important to the growth of the child.Some mothers homeschool. They want to train up that child in the right ways themselves. Others work to send the child to special schools, private schools or schools of faith. Loving mothers are more than willing to sacrifice to accomplish the right objectives for the child they love.And all the while, a mother encourages the love of a father for child and the child for the father. There is respect, as important as love, between mother and father, husband and wife. There is a sense of equality as both parents love their child in different ways. Perhaps the love of a father for a child is different but as the child grows and matures, the love, the real love of a real father becomes as important to the child as that of the mother. Without both loves, something fundamental is missing.So that, when a child is ready for the world, and independence, and a life for itself, both loving parents have formed the young adult and are ready proudly so to watch a brand new life unfold. They have earned, these loving parents have, the right to be proud parents.Small wonder that loving children love to give back. There comes a time when the priorities are reversed and the child becomes the support, the loving support of the parents. Loving children love to give back to loving parents. That love which began in the womb is eternal. It never fails. It outlasts faith, and hope and all the wisdom and riches of the world. It endures forever even as the love of Christ does.And so it is with the deepest admiration, respect and love that we, all of us at Crawford Broadcasting Company, salute all real loving mothers on Mother's Day and all year long. If you are a loving mother:YOU ARE SPECIALThere is one day set aside to honor loving mothers which in reality should be done every day of the year. We are admonished, commanded to:HONOR OUR FATHER AND MOTHERIt is a commandment that we honor real loving parents with our love and respect. Give back the love you owe to your mother. Give it back with tears, with laughter and with joy. With gratitude and thanksgiving for all that she has done for you. Let her know how much you love and appreciate her, knowing as you do that you can never repay the loving debt you owe. No child can ever give back all that he or she has gotten. Never.If she is here, make sure she gets what she deserves. There are so many mothers, like mine, not here. My mother is with her Lord as she has been for more than a quarter century. How much I would love the opportunity to give her one more hug. Do that for yours while you can.We salute you and thank you, mother. There is really nothing like you in this world:NOTHING!

Take up your cross, my cross, and follow:ME: OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.So, if you become a Christian, and you should and I pray that you are, you have one promise from our Lord of what is to come, and that is:PERSECUTION.Of course there is joy, rejoicing, grace, bliss, faith, hope, strength, and so much more when you join forces with, become a disciple of, and fall in love with:JESUS CHRIST.But, there comes with all these positives, the negative of:PERSECUTION.For the most part, the world hates Christianity. Secularists disavow and dislike anything about Jesus. And that leaves secular governments to crack down on Christians, Christianity, and the belief and practice thereof.Take China for example. The Chinese Communist Dictator Xi Jinping has tightened his grip on religious activities in the world's second most populous country. The Chinese Communist Party announced last week that starting May 1, foreign missionaries will be prohibited from sharing their faith or preaching, as well as establishing religious organizations. So, if you are Christian in China, you cannot testify about your faith and belief in Jesus Christ. Nor can you preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nor can you establish congregations, churches, or any type of religious Christian organization in China. That to me is simply unbelievable and unacceptable, and it will be for so many Christians in China. Nothing will prevent them from sharing and testifying, nothing. And many will become martyrs, jailed, or even killed-executed for their faith. They will gladly, willingly, and lovingly take up their cross, lay their all on the altar, and count themselves blessed if martyrdom happens, and as a result, they go to their eternal reward. China and the Chinese Communist Party are absolutely brutal.The Chinese Communist Party wants to SINICIZE all religion in China. That is, whatever the Communist Party determines religion to be, will be the only one in China. After May 1, 2025, there will be new regulations, a greater crack-down on all religions, but especially Christianity and persecution will be the new normal.We often think of Russia as the main enemy of the United States. Traditionally, that nation has been just that. But today, the number one threat to democracy and America, is none other than the second most populous country in the world:CHINA.It is becoming a superpower and its military strength, army, navy, marines, and special forces grow every day and becomes the number one threat to America and the world over. It is a nation to be reckoned with and it will be used by the forces of evil to challenge every nation in the world. Small wonder that, whatever we the people may think of the means used by President Trump, he stands up against China knowing this incredible threat which begins with democracy, freedom of speech, the practice of religion, subterfuge and infiltration, spying in America and other countries, none of which will be tolerated by the Trump administration.And the same thing happens in Egypt. We hear little about persecution of Christianity in Egypt, but it exists in large measure. Christians face daily discrimination, harsh restrictions, and constant pressure to hide their faith. And in the world at large, it is estimated that 1 in 7 Christians face harassment, violence, or even death, and in Africa the number of Christians enduring constant PERSECUTION is one in five. PERSECUTION of Christians who have given their entire lives to Jesus Christ is on the rise everywhere as both scripture and our Lord, prophesied. Soon, it will be worldwide and in every nation. Are we ready, are you ready, true believer in Jesus Christ, to face that persecution? The Apostle Paul was beheaded because of his Christian faith. The disciple, Peter, was crucified. James was murdered. John was ostracized to Patmos. The early church, especially under Roman dictator Nero, experienced aggressive persecution. It began at the time of our Lord, and it will continue until the rapture.Are you ready? Ready to lay your all on the altar, and take up the cross of Jesus Christ and stand for Him and your faith when persecution comes at you, are you? I do hope so, for it is a decision none of us have had to make in America, not really, even though there is indeed mild persecution. But the day will come when mild is replaced by aggressive. Then and only then, will you know the strength of your faith and the extent to which you really believe in Jesus Christ.And the same thing now exists in Australia, AUSTRALIA NO LESS! In NEW SOUTH WALES (NSW), newly enacted legislation allows prayer or expression of any religious belief if and only if it is not directed to changing or suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. If any would pray in that way that is a crime and punishable by imprisonment. In practice, this law would criminalize anyone who said a prayerful word with regard to sexual orientation or gender. REPENT of such, and off to jail you go.And more, everywhere, and persecution has only just begun. Again, when you are faced with that, aggressively or even passively, are you ready to stand, resist, and to accept persecution, even criminal penalties for your faith, are you?Thankfully however, the younger generation begins more so to TURN TOWARDS RELIGION. That is a first start, but sooner or later, that TURN we do hope turns to Christianity and to the person of Jesus Christ. The very respectful research firm BARNA has found in a nationwide survey that 77% of American teens are interested and even motivated to “continue learning about Jesus throughout the rest of their lives.” That at least is a start but by no means the end. Remarkably 52% of the younger generation said they are very interested in knowing more about Jesus. May it be so.There seems to be, said Barna, an openness and curiosity about spiritual matters among today's teens and young adults, a good thing, but only a start. Many of America's young know the futility of the woke generation and its so-called principles, and hunger for something more, much more. They can only find that in Jesus Christ and I hope they continue to search until such time as HE is found. We the believer should thank God that there is now an openness to Christianity and truth which has not existed for years, and revival is on the horizon. All of that is happening in spite of persecution, in spite of the secular, godless governments which somehow have gotten control as witnessed by what is happening in China, Australia, Egypt, and many other nations. The love of Jesus Christ is the most powerful force on this earth, and it should be our prayer that our teens, our younger generation, in our beloved America finds and experiences that love, and no matter the persecution which may come, and it will, continue searching until they find the ultimate answer:HIM,OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

HE IS RISEN! Haven't forgotten that, have you? Just because we celebrated Easter and the Easter message of resurrection even though virtual, Sunday, April 20, I just can't let you and me ever forget that. It's not just April 20, it's every day of 12 MONTHS.HE is the only man who ever triumphed over death and the grave, none before Him and none since. THE ONLY ONE! That resurrection, that bodily resurrection, that ascension, that VERIFIED – WITNESSED resurrection and ascension is crucial, pivotal, revolutionary, life changing, essential and indispensable to the belief of every Christian. Morning, noon and night, every day of all 365, the living, resurrected Christ LIVES within the hearts of every Christian believer. And every believer, the Christ has promised, will live with Him now, in this life, and in the life WITH HIM to come. Incredible, is it not?Wonderful, glorious, jubilant, to every believer. But to the natural man:FOOLISHNESS, Absolute and altogether foolishness. It is absolutely ridiculous, says a natural man, an atheist or agnostic, that a mere human being, a carpenter from Nazareth no less, who came from dust and shall return to dust as the scriptures say should rise from the dead. It is just simply not possible. And of course, the myth of the resurrection and the myth of the virgin birth and even for many the myth of the crucifixion all are nothing more than fairytales or as the scriptures say IDLE tales. One can readily see how a natural man, one not drawn by THE HOLY SPIRIT, with eyes closed and ears blocked would scoff, mock and ridicule the EASTER story. If you want, as physicist and astronomer Steven Hawkins would say to believe in a myth of fairytale, that is your right. But the world of science says Hawkins, astronomy and the so called reason and rationality of the mind dismiss a resurrection possibility out of hand. It didn't happen, says Hawkins. IT CAN'T HAPPEN! And, to that, the Apostle Paul says if in fact the resurrection did not happen, then:YOUR FAITH IS IN VAIN. Worthless. No better than any other belief system, if even that. If Christ be not risen, any professing believer is not only deceived but becomes him or herself a DECEIVER. Such a believer testifies to a lie, perhaps the biggest lie in all of human history andconsequently, becomes a conspirator in the spread of evil and duplicity. So that, not only is the believer's faith in vain, but the guilt of the false belief of others lies upon him or her as well. When you or I profess to be Christian, we must therefore champion the resurrection with all of our heart, soul and mind. There can be no doubt. NONE!Perhaps that is why the nonbeliever dislikes, even hates Christianity and as a consequence the Christians who follow it. Nonbelievers hate the concept of sin. They see no need for forgiveness. They deeply resent the demands of Christianity and the Christ who boldly proclaims:NO MAN OR WOMAN COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME! Nonbelievers hate that demand, that exclusivity. For it rules out everything else, every other form of belief, in fact every other religion. The crucifixion at Golgotha was merely the death of one man, perhaps even justified. The man who died was a revolutionary, a seditionist, constantly conspiring to get THE PEOPLE to resist and rebel against Rome, the political system, Herod and Pilot on the one hand and the religious authorities, the Pharisees and Sadducees on the other. And he even admitted he came to stir up trouble, to turn one family member against another. He called Herod the Tetrarch of Rome a FOX, cunning, deceiving and lying. The religious establishment despised him because he referred to them over and again as nothing more than hypocrites, or whited sepulchers, empty inside. If any mere man deserved to die, and die in an excruciating way, it was this mirror man Jesus of Nazareth. It was with HIM then as it is now love or hate. You embraced him, believed in him, gave him your all. Or you despised, even hated him nothing more than a rebel or rabble rouser, deluded, even perhaps insane a man in no way to be taken seriously. WITH OR AGAINST. And, written off by Him who again boldly even arrogantly stated:HE THAT IS NOT WITH ME IS AGAINST ME.The world, the secularists, the natural men and women accommodate Christianity one weekend, three days each year. From Good Friday through resurrection Sunday, those who believe in fairytales are allowed their celebration. But then comes Monday and it is back to business as usual, criticizing Christianity, attempting at every hand to get Christians, Christian beliefs and Christianity out of the public square, out of the marketplace, confined if at all possible to the four walls of a church. They are determined, these rabid, progressive secularists to curtail or eliminate Christian witness, any form of evangelism for they the enemy have determined that all Christian speech is:HATE SPEECH.They are determined to destroy, eliminate any form of testimony, any message which states:CHRIST IS RISEN Even as they scoff at the message:UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE WITH THE MIGHTY CHILD O'ER HIS FOES Wherever he was buried, there he remains they say. From the time he was laid in a tomb, everything else, EVERYTHING is nothing more than myth, fairytale, idle tale WHY!But, natural man, like it or not, he did in fact rise again. HE WAS SEEN first by the women Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James and Salome, and Joanna, and other women. They first saw the empty tomb as they brought spices, the announcement of the resurrection by the angel and these women were the very first EVANGELISTS. They were the first to go and tell. They told Peter, and the disciples, 11 of them and others that at the tomb:HE IS NOT THERE!HE IS RISEN! He was there, back for some 40 days before an ascension. He fellowshipped with his disciples and with others. He was there in the flesh for he was hungry and thirsty. He ate and drank and he showed them his nail pierced body and the wounded side where he was pierced. He returned as a man alive and ascended in glory as the eternal Christ. For Christian believers, it is true, all of it. It is fact. It is the foundation of belief. He was alive in the flesh before and after the crucifixion and now lives eternally and forever with his saints to reign. So, the Christian joyfully proclaims Easter Sunday and every other day:HALLELUJAHCHRIST AROSE We the believers celebrated the Easter weekend, mourning at the remembrance of the crucifixion on Good Friday, but joyfully and jubilantly celebrated HIS Resurrection on Easter Sunday. That resurrection message was heard that day the world over. The world made time, even priority at least to recognize that incredible message. But now, only mere days later, it is business as usual. Perhaps even we who believe become gradually less open, less aggressive in our testimony, perhaps even unwilling to STAND for what we believe, in Him. Perhaps, gradually, we become more defensive, even withdrawn, unwilling to testify and confront. Perhaps the message of those three potent days becomes a matter of memory, fading, the power of it all dissipating, the courage to fight the fight of faith waning.So, just a few days after the Easter celebration, it is well for us to celebrate again, and again and again, and every day the fact, the most supreme fact in all of human history that:HE IS RISEN.That, as the old hymn says, Christ the Lord is risen today, and every day. Hallelujah! Let us with all our hearts proclaim that message and live that message. It is the greatest fact in human history!So, from the virgin birth, to a powerful human life symbolist, to the crucifixion offering forgiveness for all mankind through the shed blood, to the resurrection, believe it, proclaim it, and live it every day of the year.And one more thing. There is yet to come the rapture. This, the crucified and resurrected Christ will return again for his church, for us. Perhaps that day is near and we should be ready. The rapture is yet another fairytale, so says the natural man. But for Christians, it is the ultimate event, the culmination of everything. If you are Christian, if you believe, then the Holy Spirit bears witness, fortifies your belief, encourages you and strengthens you and makes certain that you live joyfully in the faith, hope and love of the Christian journey. Easter was celebrated just a few days ago. But Easter is not a day, it is a way of life. Celebrate morning, noon and night:HE IS RISEN HALLELUJAH CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY AND EVERY DAY!

Up the carpenter went to Jerusalem, knowing full well why. It was time, HIS time, the time, the eternal time as appointed when a world changing event would happen.It was to be the end of his earthly journey, a time for the transition between the Jesus of history and the Christ of Glory.There came that time in the Garden of Gethsemane where he went to pray. He asked his disciples to participate, to watch with him, to stay awake with him. Not knowing the incredible events about to happen, they slept. But the Master prayed, communed with the Father. How wonderful the humanity of Jesus the Christ in Gethsemane. As man, he knew the incredible suffering and agony to come, the crucifixion which would happen and he prayed to the Father:LET THIS CUP PASS FROM MELet there be another way to introduce your love and saving grace rather than crucifixion. But the answer was clear, the plan in place. There would be no change.Perhaps that was the greatest expression and revelation of the WILL of God at work. The plan of salvation would begin with Him, Jesus of Nazareth so that all men might know that He was indeed the SON OF GOD.And so, in blessed surrender, the soon to be Christ of Glory uttered this incredible prayer:NOT MY WILL BUT THY WILL BE DONEOn earth even as it is in heaven. He was ready, and willing.Jesus of Nazareth loved Jerusalem as all Jews do. There stood the temple, the holiest place on earth to the Jews, the earthly abiding place of the HOLY OF HOLIES. It was ordained so by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and it was the place, the center for the longing, the love and the passion of all Jews. Jerusalem, the one and only Jerusalem, the City of David.Jesus of Nazareth poured out His love on the city and its people so very special to him. He passionately lamented how he would love to take the city and its people under his wing and to show them what he firmly believed was the way, the truth, and the life, allnew things. There would be from God through him a new creation possible, all thingsand people born again, a fresh and vital spirituality. But before these new gifts fromGod could become universal, a tragic and horrific event must occur followed by themost miraculous and wonderful event in the history of mankind.HE had dined in Jerusalem with his disciples, a loving Last Supper to commemoratethe event to come, the celebration of his body and his blood. That communion of thedisciples and the Lord, that spiritual fellowship celebrated vicariously with bread andwine, was the end event for them but only the beginning of a lifelong celebration for us.Roman soldiers found him in Gethsemane. There came the mockery of trial andinterrogation before Pilate and Herod. The world knows of the hands–washing, therefusal to make the decision of death for a just and innocent man and the offering tothe people of a choice between Jesus of Nazareth and a convicted criminal. The crowdof course chose the criminal.Then came the walk to the cross, the VIA DOLOROSA, the way of sorrow still todaycommemorated in Jerusalem by the 12 Stations of the Cross. When His cross becametoo heavy to bear, another carried it for him. Crowds lined the way, watching andlistening, some mocking, some wailing, all perhaps sensing this was no ordinary mannor would there be any ordinary crucifixion. But none could know that the world couldchange.And so, the cruelest and most brutal death possible occurred for an innocent man, apublic crucifixion. Roman soldiers nailed Jesus of Nazareth to that wooden cross.It seems ironic indeed, does it not, that a man who lived and worked with wood died abrutal death on wood itself.He hung on that cross for hours, a criminal on each side. The sky grew dark and itwas as though the earth and all in it mourned. The Christ of Glory hung in utteragony, and the horrific pain he experienced caused Him to utter these unforgettablewords:MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN MEWHY?So alone, in utter agony, feeling even that the FATHER had forsaken Him. It isimpossible to know how He felt, how awful that death must have been for Him. But Hewas man, human. We as humans like him can understand the cruelty of man and thesuffering and agony he suffered in death as many of us have. HE took on the sufferingof mankind on that Golgotha Hill. So many who loved him watched, mourned andprayed, never really knowing that this tragic crucifixion would turn into a gloriousResurrection.It seemed indeed that in that darkest moment, God Himself had departed, forsaken.Perhaps it was, as some scholars think that this Holy God could not look upon theultimate and tragic event as they were laid on him the sins of the world. On that cross, in the blood and tortured flesh of the body of the Son of God, in that death unto sin were in fact the sins of the world, all of them and all of ours. That final bloody act of remission and propitiation had to be finished. There had to be that tumultuous and cataclysmic collision of worlds, when heaven and earth became one through Him. For hours, He suffered in agony and pain. His precious body was exposed, mutilated and mocked. He was crowned in the ultimate sarcasm with a crown of thorns to mock the claim of:KING OF THE JEWS.Roman soldiers taunted him, challenging him to use His miraculous powers to come down from the cross, laughing all the while. They cast lots for his garments and treated in cavalier style this world changing event as ordinary, the crucifixion and death of yet another fanatic, yet another would be Messiah as there were so many of them in that day. Never could these men know what would happen on the third day.And so He died and as He was removed from the cross, there came mercifully and lovingly Joseph of Arimathea to claim the body, something which rarely happened in early Roman times, so that Jesus of Nazareth could be buried in His very own tomb. And there He lay as all who knew him, loved, followed and believed in Him mourned. There was perhaps that day a sense of no hope, the law so tragic that HE would never be replaced. Like doubting Thomas, none really believed what would happen that third day.But on that third day, they hurried, they ran to the tomb, the women did. They were so anxious lovingly to attend His body. Instead, they found in the tomb the Angel of the Lord. The stone which had covered the tomb had been rolled back. The event was so terrifying it overwhelmed the Roman guards. The women announced that they had come looking for Jesus of Nazareth, He who had been crucified, buried and laid in this tomb. They demanded to know who took His body. But the Angel of the Lord said to them, words which would change the world:HE IS NOT HERE HE IS RISENHE IS ALIVE. Death as we know it had no power over Him. For millions, that is impossible for us to believe. But for us who do and especially those of us never having seen, heard or been in His physical presence, we who believe the truth and reality of the Resurrection are entitled to the power and the eternal victory over death even as it was with Him. Even as He returned to the Father, so shall we at our appointed time be with Him and the Father as well. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a myth, not symbolic, but the most real event in all of human history.The Apostle Paul states that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most fundamental event, the crux of Christianity. If, says Paul, there was no Resurrection, then Christianity is a farce and more importantly our FAITH is in vain. If the Resurrection was myth, or symbolic and not real, actual, factual, a bodily resurrection, then our faith is in vain. But thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as Paul did, that the Resurrection was real, it endures with everlasting power even now and for allveternity. OUR FAITH IS NOT IN VAIN. The tomb was empty and the empty lives of all mankind could now be filled with the power of this incredible resurrection. The words again which changed the world:HE IS NOT HERE! HE IS RISEN!And so came the Resurrection witness. The resurrected and risen Christ was seen, heard, touched, and otherwise fully experienced as living once again. There were those who doubted, demanding proof. They touched the nail pierced hands and the side pierced with that Roman spear. And they said with the words of doubting Thomas:MY LORD AND MY GODTheir eyes were opened and they recognized Him. They fellowshipped with Him and ate with Him. And He said to them “why are you disturbed and troubled.” Why do such doubts and questionings arise in your hearts? He told them to see His hands and feet and know that it is I MYSELF. No mere spirit, He said, has flesh and bones as I have. His disciples were filled with sheer joy and marvel. Their minds were open to understand Him and the Scriptures. Now said the Resurrected Christ, you are witnesses of these things. Go and preach this wonderful event and our message to all nations. He blessed them and sent them.GO YE, He said, into all of the world and preach the Gospel to everyman, to the Jew first but then to the Gentiles. TO ALL MANKIND. The saving power of the Resurrection was for everyone. So many of us doubt in some ways even today. We see through a glass darkly, said Paul. Our understanding of these things is limited, human here and now. But hereafter, we will know, really know when we see HIM:FACE TO FACEBlessed are those who have never seen and believe!There is nothing in this world like this belief, the outpouring of the saving grace of the Resurrection. The power of life and life eternal through Him is the most powerful force on earth. It comes by acceptance and an open heart, the outpouring of this transforming love. It has been my blessing and I hope and pray that you have had such an encounter with THE LIVING CHRIST, that you have experienced the forgiveness of the cross and that you have accepted and believed in the power of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is Easter, that is what Easter means. It is life anew, one born again. A decision to encounter is the most important decision any person can make. It changes life here and it creates life hereafter. It allows the unfolding of the Kingdom of God now and fellowship in that Kingdom for eternity. We become ONE WITH HIM now, and then forevermore.And so, we who believe sing on Easter Sunday and all year long:CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAYHALLELUJAH!Let the heavens and the earth sing with joy and praise and fill the mind and heart with the power and love of the Resurrection. May the meaning of Easter be with you always, and firmly fasten in your mind the words of the angel, the Messenger of God who stated to those women so many years ago and consequently to all mankind:HE IS NOT HERE!HE IS RISEN!Christ the Lord is in fact risen and our faith is not only NOT in vain but the greatest thing in life. As He was with them in those days following His Resurrection, so He will be with us. His words to that effect are unforgettable.HEAR ME!I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS!EVEN UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!Christ is Risen!HALLELUJAH!

That, says the scriptures, THE CROSS is an:OFFENSE.The meaning, the thought, the application of the cross is indeed an offense to the NATURAL MAN. That is, the man or woman who has no belief in Christianity. This natural person, man or woman, is offended by the notion of the cross. In fact, this anti-Christian person is offended by anything about the cross, including the blood of Jesus Christ.For Christians, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, was the act of the son of God who laid down his life for mankind, for the sins of man and woman, and without, says the scriptures, this shedding of blood there is:NO REMISSION FOR SIN.None at all.But the concept of sin generally and the need of humankind to accept that propitiation for sin is offensive, even mythological. Some critics, atheistic, even go so far as to call the crucifixion and the shedding of blood:BARBARIC.They go back to the Old Testament, to the very book of Genesis, where there was a sacrifice of an animal, the shedding of that animal's blood as atonement, remission for sins, declaring that to be barbaric as well. But, again, for Christians, without the shedding of blood, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, there is no remission for sins, none at all. Sin and blood, and of course crucifixion, say the natural man and woman, is ridiculous mythology and stokes the passions of these anti-Christians in this day and age, perhaps as never before.But sin, the coming short of the glory of God is indeed a reality. In fact, it is everywhere in deed and in heart. Evil is a reality, and there really is no cure for it, except ONE! And that is the saving grace of our Lord clearly manifested to us at Calvary, Golgotha, THE CROSS. Thank God for the cross and Christ!Jesus of Nazareth was tried before Pilate, and the verdict was:I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM!But the mob cried out:CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!Pilate, politician that he was, honored the tradition of the time, to release a prisoner to them and Pilate chose Barrabus over Jesus, so much for justice.To Calvary, he went. Weakened as he was, Simon of Cyrene was conscripted by the Romans to carry the cross of Christ and the Golgotha drama began. Nails were driven into his hands and feet, and there he hung, suffering, parched with a terrible thirst, the crown of thorns on His head causing his blood to drip and his spirit to yearn for the end. He felt all alone, even abandoned by His Father, as he took upon himself the sins of the world, of you and me. In that lonely state, he cried out:MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?But then, mercifully, it was over. And his parting words were:IT IS FINISHED!That ultimate act of redemption was accomplished once and for all, for all mankind, for you and for me. There were those at the time who saw the event, witnessed the horrible act of Roman crucifixion, and watched the innocent Jesus of Nazareth suffer. They witnessed his body taken down from that cross, and the man Joseph, wrapping it in fine linen and laying the precious body of Jesus Christ in that very own and special tomb.That was Friday, but then came Sunday. On the third day, this son of the living God, with the power of God, rose from the dead, and accomplished the greatest event in human history:THE RESURRECTION.Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes. He arose the victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign. Blessed are we, by the millions and millions, who have never seen but who believe, nonetheless.BLESSED ARE WE!And we are indeed, for Gentile and Jew, anyone for that matter, all humankind, can have the incredible benefits of the crucifixion and the resurrection, a life of reconciliation here and life eternal there. Death is destroyed, for there now is no more death. We who believe will live eternally with Him so that the life we now live is redeemed, cleansed, and forgiven by His BLOOD. And we will be raised like HIM in our very own resurrection morning to know HIM and to live eternally with HIM.Thank God for that third day. Life here and now is one of joy, unspeakable rejoicing, praise, worship, and thanksgiving because of this great offense, the cross of Jesus Christ, the crucifixion, and the resurrection.So, my fellow Christians, on Easter Sunday and every other day, may we praise God for Jesus of Nazareth, and:THANK GOD FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT!

To find him is like finding the PEARL OF GREAT PRICE.Or, like the man who knew that an unbelievable spiritual treasure was buried in the field but not knowing exactly where. So he went and bought the whole field! He wanted to make sure that he found that treasure, the Lord Jesus Christ.And you, have you found Him? Do you know the joy of here, and eternal fellowship, with the Son of the Living God? Whatever you have to give up or do to make this incredible PERSONAL SPIRITUAL FINDING, you should do it immediately if you have not already done so. He bled and died for you. He rose again, and has returned to the Father where:FOR YOUhe now prepares an eternal place:FOR YOU.Even Hollywood, so empty spiritually, so dependent upon sex and drugs, glamour and fame, and those actors and actresses who populate the Hollywood swamp, searching for meaning, for love, for real fulfillment, now in so many ways:COME TO JESUS.Have you? Has your family, spouse, children, grandparents, grandchildren, have they hopefully, like you, found the Living Lord? The secular world, often satanically driven, hopes you and they have not. But HE, loving you, is always there, ALWAYS!There may well be at work a revival, a spiritual revival, in Hollywood. It may be slow in happening, imperceptible at times, but there everywhere, waiting like HE is.But perhaps the Jesus Movement 2025 grows and in some cases, grows aggressively. There seems to be a new quest for eternal truth among youth, millennials, Gen-Z'rs, knowing as so many do that marijuana and cocaine, and in fact all drugs, can never satisfy. They become attracted by the eternal love and forgiveness of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of Glory. Such a Hollywood-er is LOLA SHEEN, daughter of actor Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards. Lola Sheen brought to Hollywood and the entire world this testimony:JESUS SAVED ME!At the ripe old age of 19 after, in her words, hitting rock bottom and suffering from the horrible disease of:IMMENSE HOPELESSNESS.Lola Sheen was so happy and thrilled with her new life, now full of happiness, peace, and eternal joy, JESUS JOY!Lola Sheen testified that she grew up with parents who were dedicated to the Hollywood industry, and as a result she said:I ALWAYS FELT SUPER ALONE.She said she could never find something that felt like home, both temporal and spiritual. Lola Sheen, like 40% of high school students so says the CDC, felt sad and hopeless, not knowing of any remedy. Therapy, drugs, nothing helped. She openly shares an incredible testimony. She said of her encounter with Jesus Christ:“I really don't know how else to put it except the fact that Jesus came in my room. His presence came to me. I felt this overwhelming sense of peace.”We can be sure that Hollywood ridiculed that epiphany, but to Lola Sheen, nothing in her life was more real. Her life, she said, is “forever changed.”There really is a youth revival at work. At the University of Kentucky, hundreds upon hundreds of youths were baptized as Christians. THE POWER OF THE LIVING CHRIST IS INDEED AT WORK IN THE GREAT YEAR 2025.Even in the secular, often anti-Christian Hollywood swamp, there comes a new enlightenment with regard to entertainment product which caters to the FAITH AND FAMILY AUDIENCE. That cinematic neglect forced Christian and family-friendly entertainment production companies to independently create outside the traditional system. Often these faith-based films, produced on flimsy budgets, delivered stunning profit margins and incredible attendance, evidencing the hunger of so many Christians and others indeed for such films. Now, PRIME, an Amazon streaming platform, will release the TV series:HOUSE OF DAVIDwhich essentially chronicles the fall of King Saul and the rise of Israel's most famous king, King David. 3000 years after his death, Hollywood will now pay honor and tribute to this incredible biblical hero and servant of the great God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. DAVID AND GOLIATH will come back to life! The saga of the shepherd boy and the giant lives again.It is so rewarding for us as Christians to know that there is at least a small part of Hollywood which recognizes the value of anything Jesus, faith-based, value-laden, and perhaps, God-willing, there is more to come. There may be as one writer said, a seismic, star-aligning shift in Hollywood's willingness to bring Biblical content into the mainstream fold. May it be so.You should watch this epic series HOUSE OF DAVID on Prime TV.You should also watch:THE CHOSEN,another excellent series based on the life and the followers of Jesus Christ and search the various streaming platforms for more faith-based content, which is there in some form or another.I for one say, PRAISE THE LORD, the great Almighty and the great I AM for the spiritual influence and motivation which makes this radical and extremely necessary change-back happen. The bottom line of these new cinematic adventures has one essential spiritual and eternal priority:TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

WE ARE A CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, AND THE MORALITY OF THE COUNTRY IS DEEPLY ENGRAFTED UPON CHRISTIANITY. Those were the words of Chief Justice James Kent of the United States Supreme Court, written by him in his opinion for the 1811 Case: People v. Ruggles.There were 56 signers of the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 29 of those original 56 signers ATTENDED SEMINARY! All 29 were Christian of various denominations and beliefs; but again, all were Christian. Most of them held orthodox Christian beliefs. Here the words of the very first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, John Jay, who said:“UNTO HIM WHO IS THE AUTHOR AND GIVER OF ALL GOOD, I RENDER SINCERE AND HUMBLE THANKS FOR HIS MANIFOLD AND UNMERITED BLESSINGS, AND ESPECIALLY FOR OUR REDEMPTION AND SALVATION BY HIS BELOVED SON.”Chief Justice Jay was a strong Christian. And so was the so-called FATHER OF THE REVOLUTION, Samuel Adams, who said of Jesus Christ:“I RECOMMEND MY SOULD TO THAT ALMIGHTY BEING WHO GAVE IT, AND MY BODY I COMMIT TO THE DUST, RELYING UPON THE MERITS OF JESUS CHRIST FOR A PARDON OF ALL MY SINS.”Sam Adams was a strong believer.And so was Benjamin Rush, who said of Jesus Christ:“NOTHING BUT HIS BLOOD WILL WASH AWAY MY SINS. I RELY EXCLUSIVELY UPON IT (HIM).”Another strong confession in faith by Founding Father Rush, who himself was a strong Christian. And so were other founding fathers including John Dickinson, Charles Carroll, and Roger Sherman. And even Benjamin Franklin, perhaps the least religious of the founding fathers, even said during the Constitutional Convention:“I HAVE LIVED, SIR, A LONG TIME AND THE LONGER I LIVE THE MORE CONVINCING PROOF I SEE OF THIS TRUTH, THAT GOD GOVERNS IN THE AFFAIRS OF MEN.”A strong religious statement, a strong belief in God even if not necessarily the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.It is apparent, based upon the historical record, that the majority of the founding fathers, those who were responsible for our Declaration of Independence, our Constitution, and the moral foundation of our country, were in fact orthodox Christians.And, hear the words of John Adams who said:“OUR CONSTITUTION WAS MADE ONLY FOR A MORAL AND RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. IT IS WHOLLY INADEQUATE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ANY OTHER.”To paraphrase those words, the further America moves away from its religious roots, and the morality contained therein, the more our very special Constitution looses value and authority, and it becomes, as John Adams well said, “inadequate to the government of any non-Christian or non-religious entity or nation.”But more importantly for the long term, Noah Webster, legislator, judge, educator, and soldier in the revolution, said:“THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION IS THE BASIS, OR RATHER THE SOURCE, OF ALL GENUINE FREEDOM IN GOVERNMENT. I AM PERSUADED (SAID WEBSTER) THAT NO CIVIL GOVERNMENT OF A REPUBLICAN FORM CAN EXIST AND BE DURABLE IN WHICH THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIANITY HAVE NOT A CONTROLLING INFLUENCE.”Not only were the doctrine and theology of Christianity important, but the principles, the moral precepts of Christianity were absolutely essential to any government and especially the founding of the government and the nation of the United States of America. The founding fathers identified Christianity as fundamental to the creation of our country and even more importantly, ESSENTIAL to the continuation of self-governance. The principles and concepts of the Ten Commandments, the wisdom of the prophets of old, and the moral teachings of Jesus Christ in the gospels, and the Pauline principles in the New Testament books thereafter, were indeed the spiritual, philosophic, and political basis upon which America was founded, established in time, and counted upon as absolutely ESSENTIAL for the continuation and survival of this great country.But, these same solidly Christian founding fathers made it very clear that no one would be compelled to adopt Christianity, believe in it, or practice the principles of Christian theology. Every other legitimate religion would be respected and fully allowed, embodied so clearly in the words of our First Amendment:“CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF.”America, then and now, would never permit under any circumstances one religion to be adopted by the country, like England of old, no religion established, forced, or required for any citizen in any way. In fact, just the opposite, it was the absolute right of every citizen of this great country that each would be permitted the very free exercise of any legitimate religion anywhere in this country.But understand my fellow Americans, that this First Amendment freedom and absolute right applied only to the Federal Government. That allowed the individual states, 13 at the time, to openly advocate for certain religious practices if the majority of the citizens of that state so decided. In actual historical fact, 8 of the 13 states had a state recognized or endorsed church or religion. 8 OUT OF 13! Some of the states even required public officials to be Christians as a precondition to holding office. Every one of the 13 states openly and publicly promoted Christianity through their educational systems requiring all children in the educational system to be instructed in the “truth of Christianity.”So then, the moral principles, the practices and beliefs which underly our Constitution and our Bill of Rights fully revealed in inspired scripture are indeed the foundation, the source, the basis of all of the freedoms and inalienable rights which we enjoy and so often, to our shame, take for granted. America and WE THE PEOPLE were at one time fully Christian, moral in our lifestyle and way of life, strong spiritual beliefs that themselves made us strong. How far this great country and We The People have moved from our very special spiritual beginnings and it is critical, crucial, absolutely essential that we return to these very same critical and essential principles, way of life, if this great country will continue and even survive. Our God is real, the very basic and most essential part of the founding of our country and without His blessing and without our moral change-back, America cannot survive. There is time and opportunity to do just that, and we cannot allow those forces which are essentially anti-American and as such, anti-Christian to prevail.NOW MORE THAN EVER, WE THE PEOPLE MUST FIGHT THE FIGHT OF FAITH!

Many believe the Biden administration, happily and now an historical footnote, fostered an anti-Christian approach to politics, culture, and lifestyle generally. That was so even though Biden was a self-proclaiming Catholic Christian.In the Biden administration, there really were none in high positions who were publicly confessing Christians. That of course, under the Trump administration, has significantly changed, and changed for the better. There are those in leadership in America now who come to their awesome responsibilities as public citizens and representatives of WE THE PEOPLE with a biblical influence in their lives, even an outright Christian testimony. What a blessing that is for America, for Christianity, and for:FREEDOM OF RELIGIONfor all Americans, the FIRST AMENDMENT really at work!I do hope and pray that you know by heart, by memory, those First Amendment freedoms. They include and especially so:THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION.The freedom to practice any religion of choice. Or, none at all. Your call. But there can be no restriction on religious freedom and worship of any kind, so says the First Amendment. Let people believe and worship as they please. We The Christians, born again, evangelical, denominational, Roman Catholic, are free not only to worship as we please, but to believe as we please. Few countries in this modern age allow that, and so many nations abridge that freedom, attack it, attempt to control it, or even eliminate it. Not so with the Trump administration. Trump has pledged to reinvigorate the old Christian America, to respect Christianity and all its forms, and to make absolutely certain that there is no persecution, disrespect, or attempts to control this precious faith.And the same for Jews. Antisemitism is on the rise, one of the most ugly things in the entire history of mankind and now even resurrected today. So many politicos, academics, and even many in business and higher up in corporations turn a blind eye or actually foster antisemitism. That will all end under the Trump administration. Amen to that.And there is absolute freedom to worship for all other religions, including Islam, the Hindu religion, and any other legitimate religion. That is the American promise, the Constitutional guarantee, that sacred Frist Amendment freedom and it will be respected more than ever, more than under the administration of Obama or Biden, as the Constitution has always promised.That beloved First Amendment also guarantees freedom of speech and press. More than ever, that will be reinvigorated and protected. Both such freedoms are absolutely essential with regard to the full and free practice of religion.And the same for the other First Amendment freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, namely freedom of assembly and freedom of petition. Churches, gatherings, services, the congregations of people in worship can feel the old constitutional freedoms under the Trump administration more than ever. Amen to that. Make it happen President Donald J. Trump, MAKE IT HAPPEN!DEFENSE. Our Department of Defense needs change, even radical change back. It has become woke, socialized, racially concerned, all to the detriment of its clear and primary priority and mission, namely, the development and growth of the greatest military, army, navy, and marines, and more, that the world has ever known. We need an aggressive, remade and revitalized Department of Defense and branches of the military. We have threats to our great country like never before, threats from China, especially China in this modern day and age, and our old nemesis Russia, and North Korea, a rising nuclear power, and of course Iran, which literally hates the Great Satan, the America we love. All four and more would love to see the end of America and given the right circumstances, whether all-out war, or terrorism, or limited combat, they are ready, hatred brimming, to destroy America or as much of it as they can.Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, intends to change the department, bring in new leadership, develop meaningful financial budgets and the support of Congress and develop the weapons, offensive and defensive, which our country desperately needs, especially to keep pace with China. It seems inevitable that we will have warfare of some sort with China sometime in the future, perhaps the near future.We, America, must be ready!THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. More than ever judges at any level of the federal judiciary and all the way up to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will play an important and primary role in the development of the philosophy, policies, and future of our country. There are many, very many, judgeships unfilled and can be filled by the appointments of the president of the United States. President Trump intends to do just that. He is well aware of the need to appoint judges and the right kind of judges, fair thinking judges who will make the right decisions for America. In the first Trump administration, 2017-2021, Trump nominated three Supreme Court justices, all were confirmed by the Senate, and all were fair minded or conservative leaning. They were the outstanding scholars including:1.Neil Gorsuch2.Anthony Kennedy3.Amy Coney BarrettMuch litigation will be decided by the Supreme Court, critical for America, and there will be many emergency hearings on the basis of critical and immediate need of our country, which will be decided upon by the Supreme Court in short order. Trump has issued dozens of Executive Orders, many are being challenged by liberals, radicals, and democrats, and the Supreme Court will be more active with emergency hearings perhaps than in any other administration. We can only hope for fair results, for the vast majority of those executive orders are exactly what America needs, they are legal, thorough, and they create the change-back which again, our country desperately needs. We were under Biden on a pathway to Socialism, even Marxism, and so many of these executive orders put a stop to so much of that. I say Amen to that, and I trust you do as well. What do you think of the first six weeks in office of Donald J. Trump?Franklin Graham, the marvelous evangelical evangelist and pastor, son of perhaps the greatest evangelist ever in the history of America, Billy Graham, prays himself that President Trump will surround himself with men and women who will give him Godly counsel and advice, and urges us, we the Christian people of America, to do the very same. I do hope and pray that you will. President Trump will be challenged the world over, and especially by China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. But Trump is tough, no nonsense, determined, and not at all intimidated, and no nation or foreign leader will intimidate him no matter what they do. As world events unfold in the next four years, WE THE PEOPLE should both:WATCH AND PRAY.We should follow the advice of the Apostle Paul in I Timothy 2:1-3, where this God-sent apostle admonishes us as follows:“THEREFORE, I EXHORT FIRST OF ALL THAT SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND GIVING OF THANKS BE MADE FOR ALL MEN, FOR KINGS, AND ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY, THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND REVERENCE FOR THIS IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD OUR SAVIOR.”So, my fellow Christians, prayers. And intercessions. And giving of thanks. So that WE THE PEOPLE may lead a quiet and peaceable life, and be assured of the rights in the Constitution which are justly ours. Why? Because this is good, says Paul, and not only acceptable in the sight of God our savior, but what this God, our Lord Jesus Christ wants for us.So, my fellow Americans, pray for President Trump, and all who advise him, all of our leaders, secretaries of various departments, our Congress, House, and Senate, our courts and our Supreme Court, pray for all of them. Pray for anyone who is in authority and who works for us. Pray that the wisdom of God Almighty will guide President Trump and all political others so that America can be great again. Pray thatthe promises of Donald J. Trump will be fulfilled that indeed, the four years of the second Trump administration will:MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN (MAGA)!

Owe no man nothing, says the scripture.The fact remains, however, that every single American is in debt, EVERY ONE OF US. Every day of every month, we owe someone something. That debt could be as normal as a phone bill, electric bill, cell phone or cable bill, or currently repayable credit card bills. But, we always owe something if we wish to live in any reasonable way in this world.What that debt admonition means is that we ought not to owe anything which we cannot repay in the present in whole or in part. None of us could own a home unless we were able to borrow a mortgage for 10, 20 or 30 years, and make the monthly payments with interest thereon. If we can repay that 30-year debt on a monthly basis and timely so, that is a manageable obligation and not the kind of debt proscribed by scripture.Debt, unpayable debt, and especially that debt which accumulates with interest, sometimes as much or almost so as the debt principle itself is crushing. It is always there, its presence a constant reminder that so much of the future has been mortgaged and that our present spending endangers and preempts our options for the future. Families are ruined by that kind of debt. So are marriages. Profligate businesses go bankrupt and governments, nations and states which over-borrow and accumulate crushing interest obligations sacrifice the future for the present. They kick the financial can down the road.And that, my fellow Americans, is the pathway and the financial condition of our beloved America. Our once great country, operating on a current budget, the financial envy of the world, the dollar the hallmark of financial stability, is now the unbelievable debtor in the amount of:$36 TRILLION DOLLARS.$36 Trillion Dollars. As incredible, hard to believe, and frightening as that number is, the interest America pays on those $36 trillion dollars of debt is now at or about:$1.3 TRILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY.$1.3 Trillion dollars in interest alone!That means, my fellow Americans, that every American household owes as much as $275,000 of that debt. Or that also means that every tax paying person in America, every citizen, owes the sum of approximately $110,000 to our creditors, foreigners and foreign nations, and American business entities and individuals. $275,000 PER HOUSEHOLD and $110,000 PER PERSON. That is the kind of debt with interest that scripture so aggressively warns against. But we do nothing, our leaders do nothing to stop the bleeding and solve the problem. The overwhelming debt problem. But some day, we will have no choice but to deal with this horrendous financial reckoning.Economists now believe that the nation's debt of at or about $36 Trillion Dollars is indeed an existential threat to our great country, and to us, we the people. The fact of the matter is that America does not owe this debt, we do. WE, THE PEOPLE, the citizens of this great country owe that $36 trillion dollars, with its unbelievable annual interest burdens. WE OWE THAT MONEY! And someday, we will have to pay it. What an unbelievable effect that will have on our lifestyles and our future. That existential threat threatens our very existence!But our Federal Government continues in its profligate way. It spends, and it spends more. It never seems to care because it can postpone the debt, financing even more of its spending, and it always has what it thinks is the fail-safe remedy, and that is:TAXATION.More taxation, more taxes, for we the people to pay.And more bad financial news. Economists estimate that by the year 2034, a decade from now, America will add $20 trillion dollars to its debt of $36 trillion dollars, which would put our country in debt by the staggering sum of $56 trillion dollars, $56 TRILLION DOLLARS! And some economists think those estimates are conservative, believing that the real debt will be as high as $60 trillion dollars or even more if spending continues as is. That would also mean that the annual interest alone on that staggering debt would be somewhere between $2 Trillion and $2.5 Trillion Dollars Annually, and possibly more. In the year 2034, our total debt will be approximately 120% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). And hear these words carefully:NO NATION HAS EVER CARRIED THAT KIND OF GOVERNMENT-DRIVEN DEBT AND ESCAPED CALAMITY. NOT ONE GOVERNMENT IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF MANKIND HAS EVER SPENT OR WILL SPEND WHAT WE AMERICANS ARE AND ESCAPED ABSOLUTE AND TOTAL DISASTER AND CALAMITY.Not to worry, say the Democrats in charge and in power and seeking four more years of spending privileges, assuming the election of Harris-Walz. We will simply tax the rich more and more. Even if there is a sharp rise in the tax rates for the wealthy, that meager amount of additional income would never begin to seriously pay down the debt which our once fiscally responsible America now owes and will owe ten years from now.But that day of reckoning will come when we the people will pay an unbelievable price for the profligate way our Federal Government spends our money and accumulates this strangling, bankrupting debt.Regarding the so-called rich, the top 1% of Americans in terms of earnings reported 26.3% of the country's adjusted gross income and paid accordingly:Almost 46% of total income taxes!All the rest of America's taxpayers, 99% of them, paid the grand total of 54% of all taxes. But there is never any effort to tax more the 54% but only the so-called rich and wealthy 46%. That is fiscal policy which leads to absolute disaster!Even more interesting, the top 10% of all earners in America provided 76% of the total revenue, tax revenue, and the other 90% of taxpayers provided 24% of tax revenue. If you were not one of the so-called wealthy, you have really gotten off cheap by taxing comparison.Our great country, We The People, face the ever-present possibility of default in payments to our creditors, now $36 trillion dollars and in 10 years to be some $60 trillion dollars. That default of any serious kind would set off a major depression and fiscal revolution THE WORLD OVER. That economic crisis could well ruin the world.There would also exist in America HYPERINFLATION. That is what occurred in Germany where the German Mark was absolutely worthless. If those tragic and calamitous conditions arise in America, our dollar will be just like that Mark and virtually worthless itself.That debt-caused disaster will produce incredible internal instability, even revolution, and the very real potential of the destruction of law and order. It could also occasion the rise of dictatorship, as the very same fiscal problems in Germany gave rise to Adolf Hitler and it would undoubtedly be the end of our great democracy.But, my fellow Americans, that debt and the problems it causes, are:OUR FAULT.Our responsibility. We the People allowed that debt to happen. We continue one election after another to elect a president, a senate, a house of representatives which do nothing, absolutely nothing about the problem, continue to spend, talk the talk but never walk the walk, and again do absolutely nothing about this incredible end-of-America problem, nothing but nothing. But the day of economic reckoning comes, and we will pay, WE WILL PAY! Or, our children and grandchildren will pay. The life and lifestyle which they hope for and work for will never materialize and the America we now know will never be the America they will ever know. What America once was fiscally and economically will be nothing more than an historical footnote.Wake up, my fellow Americans, please wake up. You vote, you elect these politicians to represent you. You allow them to spend your money, to tax you, to do as they please with YOUR money but the one thing they never do is hold themselves accountable for the way they spend your money, the fiscal problems they are causing, and the insurmountable debt they are creating, which may very well never be repaid. That of course would be the end of the democratic America we now love and enjoy. But again, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We the People allow these reckless economically indifferent or ignorant politicians to do what they please, spend our money as we will, and we continue to do nothing:NOTHINGabout that spending or them. When this disaster, this calamity occurs, we will have no one to blame but:OURSELVES – WE THE PEOPLE!

Donald J. Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States with both a campaign and a promise to the American people that he and his administration would bring:CHANGE.Fundamental and systemic change to the America WE THE PEOPLE love and live in. That massive, fundamental change he promised would occur under the plan to:DISRUPT AND INNOVATEa mammoth, behemoth of a federal government that had become massive and mediocre in so many ways.This massive federal government had become addicted to the status quo, determined to protect and defend the government and its addiction to processes rather than results, and to champion the Democratic Party ideals of radicalism, woke, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and to the financial priorities of:TAX AND SPEND.That had produced an American mediocrity, a lack of innovation and idea flow, and the loss of respect for this once great country. Trump promised to change that, radically change it.Our once great federal government with presidents like Reagan, Bush, had become incredibly expensive. Federal agencies and bureaucracies had become massive and had developed a culture of resistance so that in effect, those agencies and bureaucrats, the so called FOURTH ESTATE had produced a culture of resistance to both Congress, House, and Senate, and even the president himself. They often defied the Supreme Court of the United States and this massive bureaucracy which President Trump labeled:THE SWAMPwas determined to derail Trump and his grand plan of disruption and innovation for America at any cost. But, President Trump understands that and it makes the Trump plan even more bold and aggressive in order to not only disrupt and change these agencies and bureaucrats, but wherever possible to:ELIMINATE THEM.Trump and his chosen people realize that the slogan coined under the Ronald Reagan first administration:PEOPLE ARE POLICYwas so very true. Trump realized that bureaucrats and members of Congress are slave to process, and status quo preservation and not RESULTS. They care little for the American people but only the philosophy and policies which advance bureaucracy and protect the bureaucratic status quo. As such, these bureaucrats have been primary drivers in increasing the cost of government to almost 8 trillion dollars annually. 8 TRILLION DOLLARS! And, my fellow Americans, our national debt, which WE THE PEOPLE owe because of their spending, is the staggering sum of:SOME 37 TRILLION DOLLARS.37 TRILLION DOLLARS! There is simply no way a debt like that could ever be repaid unless there were radical, fundamental changes to America, democracy, and freedom, and the end of the lifestyle we all now so readily assume and thoroughly enjoy.Enter Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, now running for governor of Ohio, called upon by President Trump to reimagine this federal government. Trump has asked Musk to bring a sense of entrepreneurship, appreciation for results, and to examine all expenditures by the federal government to determine the:COST – BENEFITof every governmental expenditure and the results or the lack thereof which those expenditures-investments produce. Musk will head the so-called DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency. Government will become more efficient, financially structured and results will triumph over process and so much of American bureaucracy will be eliminated, reduced, or otherwise radically changed. What a blessing that will be for WE THE PEOPLE! Of the now approaching 8 trillion dollars of an American annual budget, Musk and Trump believe they can reduce that budget by as much as 2 trillion dollars or at or even more than 25% of the existing federal budget. If so, that would be absolutely unbelievable, and the financial muscle of America could be restored in this great country and worldwide in four or less years of the Trump administration.President Trump is determined to make that happen. Many of his appointments, nominations, and people with whom he will work are businesspeople, CEOs, bold entrepreneurs who are determined to make things happen, to produce results, and to do away with process and mediocrity. Such a one is Linda McMahon, who built one of the largest entertainment enterprises in the entire world. She will run the Department of Education. That department needs to be downsized and the authority it now has given back to the individual states.Then there is Doug Burgum, who will run the Department of the Interior, a man with a strong business mentality. And then there is Chris Wright at the Department of Energy, and Scott Bessent at the Department of the Treasury, and Howard Lutnick at the Department of Commerce. Those four men create a fearsome foursome whose entrepreneurial skills have created billions of dollars in wealth in private business and they will now create trillions in economic growth and government savings inside the Trump cabinet. How great that will be for our beloved America.Under the Obama and Biden administrations, huge numbers of government officials were addicted to working from home and some have even abandoned the cities they were assigned to for early retirement homes elsewhere. Trump intends to target those do-nothings for a massive cost-cutting departure. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, will bring a new mindset, priorities, and way of thinking and evaluation to that critical department, critical for the defense of America, which has now become woke, liberal and radical, and far more concerned with social matters rather than those of military and defense.Then there is the border problem. Our country is plagued with perhaps as many as 11 million illegal immigrants who have entered our country unlawfully. Trump intends to close the border and not only that but deport many of those illegal immigrants and he has pledged to deport any and every such individual with any kind of criminal record in the millions. He has appointed one Tom Homan, a no-nonsense business person, who will aggressively carry out such a plan. Homan intends to eliminate, even crush sanctuary cities and states like New Jersey, and Homan has promised the prosecution of recalcitrant officials, those who violate American law with impunity and he has threatened cities and states with the complete loss of federal funds if they resist. May it be so. It is time to use the full force of the law to punish state and city officials who violate those laws with impunity.Americans know that the Biden inflation continues. Prices are at an all-time high. So many American families are struggling financially. Trump, Musk, and so many others in his cabinet are determined to attack and eliminate inflation wherever possible. The Trump administration intends to unleash America's vast energy resources and to turn the regulatory and permitting processes positive, encouraging the resumption of oil and gas leases, and creating investment certainty for the energy industry which has been radically suppressed by Biden and company for the last four years. The resumed mining and drilling will unleash a new era of energy dominance that will lessen the impact of China, Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. Trump will also encourage the innovative development of CLEAN NUCLEAR ENERGY.Trump has also pledged to do away with CRT (Critical Race Theory), DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), ESG (Environment Social Governance), and Transgenderism. May it be so. Women will not have to worry about men using female bathrooms. Women in sports will not have to compete against men who claim to be women. In fact, all vestiges of extreme liberalism and socialism will be done away with, eliminated from American culture as much as possible. Core liberties, values, and traditional American culture will once again reign supreme.As a loyal American citizen, I am more than delighted with these promises and I just hope and pray that Trump follows through and this radical change back, this determination to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN (MAGA) does in fact occur.Trump knows that he has four years and no more to accomplish these goals. He also knows that the first 100 days of a presidency is the most important and he intends to get as much done through executive orders on the one hand and through working with the Republican controlled House and Senate to pass the legislation needed to accomplish these goals as well. There are Republicans who are skeptical and who may resist the Trump agenda in some cases. But achieving these fantastic goals can be accomplished and much of the Trump agenda will become reality and law and America will begin the CHANGE BACK even this very year 2025.Many believe that Donald Trump, within an inch of being assassinated, was divinely spared to provide for America one last chance to be the beacon on a hill, the true land of freedom, the land of the constitution and the rule of law, and the nation where, as from the beginning, freedom rings. WE THE PEOPLE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING TO SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP AND MAKE THIS GRAND PLAN TO CHANGE AMERICA HAPPEN! Make America great again, my fellow Americans:MAGA – MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

"LOVE IS THE GREATEST.""Even greater than faith, or hope, or any other thing.We celebrate the love of Valentine's Day and appropriately so. That loving celebration is fun, romantic, even emotional. It is a day set aside once to live love and to express our love to all, but especially so to someone special.Love is a word difficult of definition. In fact, it has many component parts. Love is complex, defining itself, manifesting itself in so many different ways. But love is a force without which we can not live, or live right. It is the stuff of life, and without it, life is mere existence, sterile and harsh. Love is the force, the resource of God, an energy which produces the highest and best relationships with OTHERS, and, as we love ourselves, allows us to live life at its highest levels.TO LOVE AND TO BE LOVED IS THE GREATEST HAPPINESS OF EXISTENCE. Sosaid Sydnie Smith.Love out and in is a daily process which produces the greatest happiness. It does indeed. Nothing feels better than to give love, share love, and experience love.NOTHING.""If you had no one to love, you would never be hurt. But, you would never grow. You would never venture outside your own self-centered needs and perceptions. Your heart would never be cracked open so that God could enter it. To love and love unconditionally is to take risks, and especially the risk of rejection. But nothing energizes and cleanses like love.Profound words about love by a poet unknown. To love another, large or small, is the only real way that one can grow as a human being. The risk of loving produces the risk of hurt but even hurt toughens and matures love. The risk of loving another allows one to VENTURE OUTSIDE and to experience. Doing that allows your very own heart to be CRACKED OPEN so that love in its purest sense could enter, that is God Himself. Loving is always risky, and especially the risk of rejection. Rejection hurts but it is part of the loving process. The risk of love is worth it because nothingenergizes like love, and nothing cleanses like love, NOTHING.""Charles Dickens said that a loving heart is the truest wisdom. Knowing life at its best, the most real and the truest wisdom can only be produced by a loving heart, a heart cracked open and wanting more love.""Robert Schuller said that in the presence of love, miracles happen. Love itself is a miracle and the loving miracle produces other miracles. Miracles can and should happen more often and they can and will happen when:LOVE IS AT WORKTrue love allows us insight, real insight into the character and persona of another:“BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, I CATCH GLIMPSES OF THE YOU GOD CREATED, THE TRUE YOU. I SEE YOUR IMPERFECTIONS AND FAILURES, BUT I CHOOSE TO SEE PAST THEM TO THE REAL YOU. LOVE CREATES A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE FREETO BECOME YOUR COMPLETE SELF.”""What a marvelous statement. Perhaps we can only really know another not completely but only with glimpses and those glimpses made possible only because of love.We are all riddled with imperfections and failures, are we not? We can see past things in our desire to find the real person, the real you. Love breaks down those barriers and produces eyes that truly see.Benjamin Disraeli the great English Prime Minister said that:“WE ARE ALL BORN TO LOVE. IT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF ITS EXISTENCE AND ITS ONLY END.”""Born to love, genetic, all that we really are, the very highest principle itself of existence. And, its only end, like the highest and greatest spiritual commandment that we should love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. In fact, we are known as Christians, followers of the Christ:IF YOU HAVE LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHERLove said another is tough, practical, and active. Love is washing the kitchen floor over and over again. Love is scrubbing the toilet and doing the laundry. Love is taking out the garbage and cleaning the refrigerator. Love is smiling when you are tired, finding reasons to laugh even when you are angry, volunteering for a dirty job, working hard, and making the world a better place.Powerful and profound. Indeed, love is practical. Love is very much in the scrubbing of the toilet. Love is there from the one who takes out the garbage. Love indeed delights in the dirty jobs for when you do for the least of these, you do it unto HIM.""And yet more insight into the God of all love:GOD SAYS TO US, IN LOVE, I HOLD YOU IN MY MIND. I REMEMBER YOU. I HOLD ALL OF THE PIECES OF YOU. THE PAST WOUNDS AND THE PRESENT. AND INLOVE, I KNIT THEM TOGETHER INTO THE PERSON I LOVE, THE PERSON I CREATED TO GIVE ME JOY:""YOU.""Held are we in the mind of God, remembering us even as we remember Him, all of our various pieces, wounds, wrongs, and problems no matter. God knits them together and all become the mosaic, the person God loves, the individual and special you.Love frees us of the weight and pain of life! True love always lightens life's heaviestburdens. True love is a force far more powerful than the weapons of any enemy.Life is a flower of which love is the honey, so said Victor Hugo. Love is knit into the very cells of our bodies. It is written into our DNA. It is encoded in the chemicals that make plants green. It is that which makes the sky blue, the substance of the song of the birds in summer, the whisper of the wind in the trees, the silence of the snow as it falls. Love is the voice of God calling to us endlessly and passionately through all HIS marvelous creation.There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear. The more one loves, the less there is of which to be afraid. Love secures and drives our insecurity. Love at work is the most powerful force and energy of all.Take away love, said Robert Browning, and our earth is a tomb. Without love, life is like dead, lifeless, even meaningless. And, if you wish to be loved, LOVE. Any time that is not spent on love is time wasted.True love is a durable fire in the mind ever-burning, never sick, never old, never dead, from itself never turning, so said Sir Walter Raleigh. The durable fire of love burns unquenchable, always alive, always energizing.The great artist Vincent Van Gogh said:“THE HEART THAT LOVES IS ALWAYS YOUNG. LOVE IS A MARVELOUS BEAUTIFIER. LOVE IS ART AT WORK. I ALWAYS THINK THAT THE BEST WAY TO KNOW GOD IS TO LOVE MANY THINGS.”""Indeed, all of art is love at work and there really can be no great art without love. It beautifies and brings out the best in everything.Here, the words of Thomas Merton:“THE BEGINNING OF LOVE IS TO LET THOSE WHO LOVE BE PERFECTLYTHEMSELVES, AND NOT TO TWIST THEM TO FIT OUR OWN IMAGE. OTHERWISE,WE LOVE ONLY THE REFLECTION OF OURSELVES WE FIND IN THEM.”""The more we are perfectly ourselves, living to our highest and best, the more and better of us there is.Love cures people, the ones who give it and the ones who receive it. Love conquers all things, so said the ancient poet, Virgil.""Love allows us to believe so fully and firmly in God even when He is silent!The great thinker-theologian Soren Kierkegaard profoundly stated that when one has once fully entered the realm of love, the world, no matter how imperfect becomes rich and beautiful. It consists solely of opportunities for love.It is love, said Thomas Mann, not reason that is stronger than death. And that love, stronger than and which conquers death is the love of the Christ on the cross and the resurrection which followed.To love someone is to see a miracle invisible to others, said Francois Mauriac. Life is replete with invisible miracles which can only be revealed by love at work.If you love somebody, tell them, so said Rod McKuen. The telling unleashes the energy and the power of love.The heart has its reasons which reason alone can not understand, so said the thinker Blaise Pascal. Love is a dimension in life different from and beyond reason itself. The more the mind the less the heart and consequently the less love. Reason no matter how wise can never understand love.The great theologian Paul Tillich said that the first beauty of love is to listen. One who loves wants to listen more than talk, listen to every word, every expression of thought and emotion which comes from the one loved. Listening, really listening in a caring way, may very well be the highest attribute of true love.For those who love, time is eternity. Love is God's finger on man's shoulder. Love is like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and to give thanks for another day of loving. Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end.Sir Alfred Lord Tennyson said:“TIS BETTER TO HAVE LOVED AND LOST THAN NEVER TO HAVE LOVED AT ALL.”""Love indeed is risky, the risk of rejection but a life lived without true love is a life never really lived at all.I love you, says Anna Corbin, as you are, not as you wish to be. I love you for the real person you are, not the imaginary perhaps I fantasize you could be. I love the real,amazing, utterly unique YOU.""Love in the ultimate, unconditional, love so REAL.If you love until it hurts, really hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love said the wonderfully loving Mother Teresa. True love at work drives away the hurt.""Looking back, said one, I have this to regret. That too often when I loved, I did not say so. Love uncommunicated is love aborted. It is there but never shared. More time is spent judging people which leaves less time to love them.Zelda Fitzgerald said that nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much love the heart can hold. There is no limit to love, none whatsoever. Love is there, always and love takes up when knowledge leaves off. In fact, love is the supreme knowledge, superior to all else.Love's greatest gift is its ability to make everything it touches sacred. Love at work produces the holiest of the holies. The great English statesman William E. Gladstone said the following:“WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN THE POWER OF LOVE WILL REPLACE THE LOVE OF POWER. THEN WILL OUR WORLD KNOW THE BLESSINGS OF PEACE. POWER KILLS LOVE AND WITHOUT LOVE, THERE IS NO PEACE. THERE ISNOTHING MORE POWERFUL BEFORE AND EVER AGAIN THAN LOVE.”""The theologian Reinhold Niebuhr said the following:“WE ARE SAVED BY THE FINAL FORM OF LOVE, WHICH IS FORGIVENESS. FORGIVING AND FORGETTING ARE THE HIGHEST ACTS OF LOVE RESULTING IN OUR SALVATION. THERE WAS ONE, YEARS AGO, DRIVEN TO THE CROSS BY THE LOVE OF MANKIND PROVIDING IN HIS DEATH THE LIFE AND THE LOVE WE LEAD.THE CROSS WAS THE FINAL AND FORGIVING FORM OF LOVE.”""The crucifixion of the Christ on the cross was indeed the ultimate act of love. The great writer C.S. Lewis said the following:“TO LOVE AT ALL IS TO BE VULNERABLE. LOVE ANYTHING AND YOUR HEART WILL CERTAINLY BE WRUNG AND POSSIBLY BROKEN. LOVE BREAKS DOWN ALL BARRIERS, OPENS WIDE THE HEART, EXPOSES TRUE INNOCENCE AND RISKS THE WRINGING AND THE BREAKING OF THIS MORE PRIZED POSSESSION. REAL LOVE DEMANDS THIS, CONSTANTLY.”Sir Arthur Pinero said that “those who love deeply never grow old. They may die of old age, but they die young at heart.”That deep love here and now is but a prelude to the perfect love there. In fact, they are one love contiguous and continuous. Love is both earthly and eternal. Love never dies. For there is only one real happiness in life and that is to love and to be loved.The great writer Ralph Waldo Emerson said:“NEVER SELF-POSSESSED OR PRUDENT, LOVE IS ALL ABANDONMENT.”""True love is pure risk, always. Love at work risks hurt to the self and rejection by another. But the risk at work is what makes the word of love so special.""Vulnerability, openness, risk but so great reward.Hear then the marvelous words of the great poet William Wordsworth:“A PERSON CAN BE SO CHANGED BY LOVE AS TO BE UNRECOGNIZABLE AS THE SAME PERSON. LOVE TRANSFORMS, REGENERATES. LOVE PRODUCES CHANGE, EVERYWHERE AND IN EVERYONE. LOVE BETTERS WHAT IS BEST!”""The great philosopher Plato said that love is the best friend of human kind, the helper and the healer of all ills that stand in the way of human happiness. In fact, love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries and without them, humanity can not survive. And for some real definition of the word love, hear the words of Saint Augustine:“WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? WHY, IT HAS HANDS TO HELP OTHERS. IT HAS FEET TO HASTEN TO THE POOR AND NEEDY. IT HAS EYES TO SEE MISERY AND WANT. IT HAS EARS TO HEAR THE SIGHS AND SORROWS OF HUMANKIND. THATIS WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE!”""Amen and amen. Hands and feet at work, eyes and ears to see and hear human need. Love at work is what love really is.Love comes supreme and most innocently from a child. A child's love is pure, uncomplicated, unconditional, fully trusting. Such innocence opens deep the world of feeling and emotion and it is a return to that childlike love and that ability to love which alone can make complete the adult version of that child. May we all be wise enough to return to the innocent love of a little child.And so my friends, my fellow Americans, we the Crawford Broadcasting Company wish you all of the love possible on Valentine's Day and during Valentine's week. May love in all its forms permeate your life and may you know the supreme love of the One who laid down His life for you. Live love every day and know the real and true meaning of life.And finally, the profound words of poet Emily Dickenson:“IF I CAN STOP ONE HEART FROM BREAKINGI SHALL NOT LIVE IN VAINIF I CAN EASE ONE LIFE THE ACHING OR COOL ONE PAINOR HELP ONE FAINTING ROBIN IN TO HIS NEST AGAINI SHALL NOT LIVE IN VAIN!”""Love is the greatest!"

The greatest of all things is LOVE.The greatest, says the Apostle Paul, agreed upon by the world's greatest thinkers, artists and poets is:LOVELove is best.The Bible book 1 Corinthians 13 is Paul's finest expression of love by far. Read and read again those marvelous apostolic definitions of love. One of the meanings of this powerful force is spiritual devotion, a reasoning, intentional spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us. To really know what love is, says Paul, can only occur as a result of a meaningful (loving) relationship with God Almighty. The longer, the deeper the relationship, the more the meaning of love becomes clear.Love is good. In fact, good is defined by love. For no mere mortal can do good without love. One may intend to live right, perhaps following the Ten Commandments and other great moral precepts. But mere intention, the act of the will is not enough for it lacks the energy, the conviction, the power of LOVE.There really is no definition of love, no simple one. Words like affection, attachment, emotion, even ultimate feelings are inadequate. So, Paul says let's begin by defining love as PATIENT. Love is longsuffering because love is eternal. We live in a world fundamentally impatient, Type A, a world of pressure and intensity. Life as it is in the 20th Century and the people who live that life cause us to be impatient, frustrated, even angry. But if one loves and lives by the power of love, one says Paul is PATIENT. That is, no matter the circumstances, one is patient because patience is inherent, a spiritual genetic component of one who loves.Love is kind, says the open-hearted Apostle Paul. Love is gentle, easy. It avoids meaningless confrontation and struggle. Love thinks on those things which are good in gentle ways, avoids strife and is slow to anger. Our world is hard, feisty and confrontational, so often without love. But love at work is the antidote to harsh things in life. That easy love soothes. It strokes. It forces its way into the heart and opens it. Love replaces the harsh with hugs. It cares about others first and about the things of God even more. There is no gentle or kind without love.Love, God's love in us, does not insist on its own rights or its own way. Love is not self-seeking. The natural man without love is selfish, self-centered, and egotistical. A loving person is giving, open, and caring. These standards are extremely high, and virtually impossible for any human being to accomplish without, says Paul, the love of God.Love even allows us not to take account of the wrongs or evil done to us by others. Love allows us to forgive and forget. Love allows us to love an enemy rather than to seek vengeance. Love allows us to move past righting wrongs. We can lovingly forgive even as a loving God forgave us.Love rejoices when right and truth prevail. Real love is straight, a kind of tough love structured by what is right and true. Love deals with problems in the present, and deals with them straightforwardly as truth would have it. Love can discipline and correct in truth without hurting. True love never compromises. How wonderful and joyful it is to lovingly live in truth at all times. For to know the truth of love is to be set free and allows us to live a life rejoicing and praising.Love protects and defends. It guards the hearts and minds of the young. It trains up children in the way in which they should go. It shows them the way of the Lord, the path of righteousness. Love protects and defends home and family. Love guards against false prophets and the lie. Love tolerates no evil, only the good.Love is loyal, says Paul. Love is trustworthy and trusting. Love makes character predictable, reliable, steady, and dependable. Love produces bonds unbroken, full trust unto death.Real love, says Paul, always hopes for the best, especially the best in others. No matter the evil or inconsistencies in others, or the uncertainties in life, hope for the good is always love's objective. Love, real love is contagious. In the presence of love, real love, others participate and share and begin to feel that real love themselves. Love at work creates the belief that all things will work together for good for those who love each other, and especially those who love God. That, says Paul, is an absolute truth for:LOVE NEVER FAILSIt endures now and for all eternity. It overcomes the greatest evils in this world which combined, can never destroy love.But the Apostle Paul in his great treatise 1 Corinthians 13 also tells us what love is NOT.Paul tells us that love is not talk no matter how eloquent. Words are not love and may even have difficulty communicating or defining love. No matter how eloquent the tongue, even the language of angels, words are like sounding brass and tinkling symbols, hollow and meaningless. Even, says Paul, if words are those of the angels themselves, they are worthless without love.And Paul says that even the gift of prophecy, knowing the future, discerning the divine will and purpose without love means nothing. Even moving mountains with all power and energy means nothing without love.One can not even give to the poor without love. One can not even be willing to die, offer a body to be burned, or lay down a life for another without love, for all such acts no matter how charitable are meaningless without love.Love is not envious. Love is not jealous of others, what they are or what they have. Love desires the best for everyone. Love rejoices when the best things happen to other people. Love never craves or lusts. It is content no matter the circumstances.Love is not controlling, says Paul. It lets go. It never holds on. Love never demands and always reasons with an open heart. Love is never possessive. Love is always ready to share, give and understand.And love never boasts or brags. Love is not proud or puffed up. Love has no ego. Love cares little for power, fame or possessions. Love is in the doing for by their loving fruits we shall know them. Love wishes to be known and loved by God and not man. Love reminds that it is not about me but about HIM.Love does not behave unseemly. Love allows one to live modestly, humbly and joyfully. Love builds and sustains character. Love has its own rules and standards, instinctive even genetic, which controls and directs behavior instinctively. By their fruits, by their actions, it is easy to know one who loves.Love is not easily angered says Paul. Not that one never gets angry, but that anger is slow to wrath. No tempers, no rages. Life can not be lived on the defense. Love calls for rational and reasonable responses and reactions, for a fiery tongue does nothing but damage. When one is possessed, and consumed by love, that loving person can not be easily provoked. Anger, even righteous anger does very little good.Perhaps so very importantly Paul reminds us that love does not keep any record of wrongs. We, the humans, have such long memories when things go wrong, when we are wronged. We may in some sense forgive, but it is so very difficult to forget. But love, says Paul, keeps no record of these wrongs, love has no balance sheet, no list of spiritual assets and liabilities. Love is owed nothing for all it gives, even for major acts of forgiveness. It requires no payback or retribution for any harm done, no matter the wrong. Love truly forgets and presses on for only the good things in life. Love holds no grudges, none whatsoever. There is no get-even, no aggression, nothing defensive about real love at work. Real love allows anyone to love an enemy, the worst of them no matter the wrongs, so says Paul. Love allows us to do good to those who persecute us, defame us, slander and abuse us. That is real love. Easy it is to throw up one's hands and say impossible, all of it just plain impossible. And perhaps all such things are impossible at the human level only, that is without the love of God at work in any life. We are told that God is love and the more of the love of God in our lives and hearts, the more we can live by love and in love. We now see imperfectly, we now understand love imperfectly, as Paul says, but we will know when we see the source of all love FACE TO FACE. Then we shall know that perfect love which passes all understanding. To stand in the HOLY PRESENCE, the source of all love is to know completely. Love is a process as is learning to love, here and now. But love will be fully completed in the dawn of that eternal day.And finally, Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13 that there are three great things, the very best of all things in this life, namely:FAITHHOPELOVENo matter how important faith is, and it surely is, that is the conviction and belief with respect to man's relationship to God and divine things, love is greater. And no matter how strong the force of hope, the joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation, as important as that is, love is greater.The greatest of all things is LOVE, that is, true affection for God and man, affection growing out of God's love for and in us.The greatest of all things is love because LOVE NEVER FAILS!

Here he comes, AGAIN. And for the last time. Four more and no more. Trump will do everything possible to make his mark, leave his legacy, and do what's right for America.Conservatives and Christians are, or should be, gratified, thankful that Trump prevailed over Harris, for there is a far better chance that the real America, the true America, under sabotage in so many ways by the Biden administration, will be once again revived, born again. MAGA will be the lodestar of the Trump administration for he has promised to:MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.May it be so. Don't you agree?We will also get to know JD Vance. In the first Trump administration, Vice President Pence was of little influence or importance. It is perhaps possible that Vance will play a more active role, have more responsibilities, and especially in the last two years of the Trump administration, be more visible as a potential republican candidate for President in 2028.Many do not like Donald Trump personally, even many who voted for him. He is indeed a polarizing personality. But he was in so many ways the very best candidate for President, and perhaps Americans, and especially conservatives and Christians learned that they and we all vote for a president and a politician, not the personality of a pastor. There is none who take that office who have ever been morally perfect but the real question in terms of morality and character is whether or not as President, that candidate will honor the promises and vows made in seeking election and otherwise be a respectful, forthright and strong president of WE THE PEOPLE. May it be so, don't you agree?Many believe that Donald Trump will be more mature in the second four years. Trump they feel will have no reason to make enemies, confront, or criticize. Most believe that his decisions will be more rational, thought out, mature, and made with the advice and consultation of people expert in the field. May it be so.Trump has promised to do away with the swamp. He has said he never realized how deep, pervasive, and all entwined (murky to the eye) the swamp was, and consequently, did not finish the job. This time around, so he says, he will. May it be so, don't you agree?That includes doing away with certain of the agencies which control so much, like the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOE). That is a woke, progressive, liberal organization-agency and America will be better without it. Trump also indicated he would move agencies out of Washington. Decentralize much so as to control the unregulated power of so many. He stands openly against woke, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) and the radical, even anti-American aspects of the Federal Government will be done away with. May it be so.Trump has vowed he will make things happen, and where necessary, he will issue EXECUTIVE ORDERS which will in fact make things happen. Because of the inaction of congress in so many ways, the orders of the executive have become a political way of life. It remains to be seen how aggressive Trump will be.He has promised to stabilize the Middle East. Unlike Biden, Trump will be a strong supporter of Israel. Trump will not authorize or enforce the treaty-agreement with Iran. He will stand up to North Korea, and Russia. And most especially, Trump knows the threat of China and he has promised, with tariffs, military action where necessary, as in the Chinese promise to take over Taiwan, curtail the influence and threat of China. May it be so, don't you agree?Trump has promised to strengthen the military. That should start with the Navy, with submarines, nuclear warfare capability and protection, a reprioritizing of military purposes and the strengthening of American defenses. May it be so.And the financial. Trump has promised to deal with inflation, and no new taxes, unlike Biden and the Democrats, to control the interest rates, to work on reducing the American debt, something he did not do in his first term. Now comes the DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY (DOGE) headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. If these two men are allowed to do their job, they will be able to eliminate so much waste in spending and how wonderful that would be for America. May the actions of DOGE be real and for the benefit of our beloved America.Trump will undoubtedly appoint one or more new justices of the Supreme Court. May he have the wisdom to put the very right people in such a critical position, with so much authority over WE THE PEOPLE. His first appointments were good for America and may it be so, should he have the additional opportunity.Trump brings hope, hope for change, change back, hope for making America great again. It is our duty as American citizens and Christians to pray for Donald Trump. To pray that with the incredible problems and opportunities which his administration will face, he will be guided by divine wisdom and do what is right for WE THE PEOPLE. We should pray that Trump will reestablish our love and respect for our constitution, and rule of law, which especially includes protecting our borders, dealing with illegal immigration and making certain that American citizens are protected, that our police are respected, and that we may, as the Apostle Paul has admonished us, pray for our President and live peaceful lives. May it be so.Trump comes January 20. May that coming be the beginning of a new, revived, and born-again America. May it be so.

We live, my fellow Americans, in the greatest nation in the history of mankind. There is not, nor has there ever been, a nation like:THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.Never.It is a nation conceived in freedom. It treasures and fosters democracy. It is a constitutional nation, and it is a nation where, as Dr. Martin Luther King so well said, if in fact its citizens live up to its constitution, treasure it, believe in it, and enforce it, all men and women who are created equal can live a life to the fullest.AMERICA. What is America to you? Do you understand your country, your nation, its history, its purpose and meaning, the reality of the:REAL AMERICA?Do you? Right-thinking men and women thank God every day, EVERYDAY, for the privilege of living in America and being an American. Do you? Are you a grateful citizen, are you proud to be an American, and since this great country can do so much for you, remember the words of President John F. Kennedy, who admonished us to:ASK NOT WHAT AMERICA CAN DO FOR YOUASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR AMERICA!That in my opinion should be the motto of every real American.THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION. Please read it. Do your best to understand it. Study anything which helps you understand the incredible rights, privileges, and duties which are yours as a citizen and as an American. Think always about the First Amendment to that Constitution, perhaps the finest words, rights, privileges, opportunities, and expressions of freedom ever written in the history of mankind. The First Amendment of America's Constitution allows you full and unabridged freedom of:RELIGIONSPEECHPRESSASSEMBLYPETITIONThese precious freedoms are the very best that can be offered to any human being and they are essential, priorities, GUARANTEED to every man and woman by this Constitution and its very precious First Amendment. Read it, know it, treasure it, and thank God for it.RULE OF LAW. It is watered down, ignored, or even eliminated in this woke and radical, anti-American day and age. Lawlessness in the end times, says the scripture, prevails and runs rampant. That is happening today. Stand up, my fellow Americans, to lawlessness and insist upon the rule of law, insist upon the concept of:JUSTICE FOR ALL.There is risk in so doing, but the reward is well worth the risk.RIGHT AND WRONG. There are those today that think there is no such thing as right and wrong. There is no absolute truth. This is the day and age of:THE LIE.We live in an age which many describe as:POST TRUTH.That is, we live in a culture where there is no such thing as absolute truth and consequently, the lie, that which is not truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, is the law of the land. WRONG, dead wrong. There is right and wrong, there is truth, and never forget in this great year 2025, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ:I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!I AM THE TRUTH!Believe in Him and you will know the truth indeed.STAND. Stand tall for America. Protect it. Founding Fathers were willing to die for it. Are you? Am I? Are there enough Americans left who are willing to do whatever is required to protect and defend the greatest land in the history of mankind?So much of the world despises, even hates America. Perhaps that is because we live hypocritically, we do not stand tall for our ideals, our freedoms, and our way of life, and we are not consistent, constantly compromising, and so often not holding individuals and nations accountable for their actions. We the People need to redefine who we are as a nation, make those ideals, values, and standards clear, and stand for them no matter the cost, now more than ever in the great year 2025.POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT. We the People need to be far more politically involved. Especially Christian citizens. We need to be active in government. We need to take positions of authority locally and to make certain our neighborhoods, towns, andcities, are safe, law-abiding, and true to American ideals, its constitution, rule of law, and way of life. WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO STAND UP! We need to make certain right-thinking and right-acting men and women are elected to office, who will truly represent us, and even more importantly, our Constitution, rule of law, and all that America should be. WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT HAPPENS! If not, we need to speak out critically so, aggressively, withhold financing, and our vote, and where necessary, exercise the process of recall and do whatever we can to get elected or appointed officials unworthy of citizen trust out of office and authority. WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO STAND UP BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!WOKE, THE PROGRESSIVE, THE ANTI-AMERICAN. They are everywhere, EVERYWHERE! They are determined to effectuate radical change or even in so many cases, the destruction of the American way of life. They would water down or eliminate much of our Constitution, curtail our freedoms, control family and education, and change the way we live, think, and believe. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN MY FELLOW AMERICANS, DON'T LET IT HAPPEN! Time is short. America needs right-thinking Americans in action now more than ever.PRIDE. Be proud 2025 to be an American. Be proud to be a citizen of the real America, the constitutional America, with its freedoms, and be proud to stand tall as America beckons, asking you now more than ever to be a soldier in the fight for freedom.Wear the flag, salute the military, proudly sing, and respect the National Anthem:STAND UP FOR AMERICA.Pray that God will bless America, convicted of its wrong doings, and once again make it the city on the hill, the shining light among nations, a country safe and protected for us today and for our descendants tomorrow. Let us proudly sing in 2025:GOD BLESS AMERICALAND THAT I LOVE!

"Now comes the time when we resolve. Right-thinking Christians and Americans, determined to live life better, and in the new year 2025, be better soldiers of the cross and better citizens of the greatest nation in the history of mankind.""So, on to DIFFERENT AND BETTER 2025.""LIFE. Only one life and that will soon be past. Treasure every moment. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to bring us life more abundantly. Live 2025 in an abundant life. Live as HE said joyfully, live as HE would have you live, that your JOY might be full. Life is good no matter. ENJOY EVERY MOMENT.""WORRY. Nothing is more negative. Worry is wrong, perhaps rising to the level of sin. Give no thought at all, my fellow Christians, to the TOMORROW. It is a day with its own good and evil and to worry about a day not yet come ruins this day, the day which the Lord has made.THE FIGHT OF FAITH. Stand up for your faith. Stand tall in the Lord. Never compromise your faith in any way by thought, word, or deed. NEVER!""RESIST EVIL. Here comes evil 2025, the devil at work, more aggressive than ever. Resist evil and it will go away, the devil will flee. Resist it with all your Christian might, armor, and strength. Do what is right, and fight back. Never give up. NEVER! In the words of the Apostle Paul:PRESS ON FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.""PRESS ON!""SALT AND LIGHT. Let you light, my fellow Christians, so shine before all mankind, that all may see your good works, know what you believe, and glorify not you, but:" "HIM.""Whether word or deed, a deed seems to be more lasting and effective than a word in so many ways. Flavor this world with Christian love and forgiveness (salt) and let your light so shine before men. Let it shine brighter than ever.""EDUCATE. Now comes a radical, woke, progressive agenda seeking to transform, really destroy so much of America, a culture, system, and group of priorities which is thoroughly and completely:ANTI-AMERICAN.""It is wrong. Say so and stand up.YOU. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Care for it, nurture it, preserve it. Live healthy as God would intend and respectfully in the flesh that God has given you.PRAYER. Pray without ceasing. Be guided by the Holy Spirit. Pray always, everywhere. Live in a prayerful environment, where the Holy Spirit rules and you are in constant communication, prayerful communication with your Lord Jesus Christ. Prayer works wonders, whether it comes from the closet, all alone, even with groanings which are interpreted by the Holy Spirit, or in mass assemblies. God hears and answers HISWAY, at His time, and always for your good.""THANKS. In all things give thanks. ALL THINGS. There is no such thing as luck, but only the will of God at work, whether we are aware of that or not. All things happen as HE would will and no matter what they are, good or bad in our opinion, they are His will at work, and in all such things we should be:THANKFUL.""And especially, we should be thankful for His: UNSPEAKABLE GIFT,""A gift that cannot be adequately described in words: OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.LOVE. No matter how hateful the world is, no matter how alone you may feel or be, the love of our Lord is with you. Christ, closer than a friend or brother, is with you, by your side, even if no one else is, as our Lord was with the Apostle Paul in his final days, all alone in a dungeon. Christ died for you and there is no greater love than that of a man who lays down his life for a friend:YOU AND ME.2025 is the year which the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice therein. Let us resolve to live this great year joyfully, and more productively, and work in his behalf for the night is coming when no man or woman can work.A very blessed New Year's greeting from all of us at the Crawford Broadcasting Co. andmay you and yours have a year with the full blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"With God, all things are possible. ALL THINGS!""Even an event like THE VIRGIN BIRTH.Some 2,000 years ago, an angel was sent by God to the tiny town of Nazareth in the Galilee area. The area was small, the inhabitants few, and a popular saying of the day was:CAN ANY GOOD THING COME OUT OF NAZARETH?""Perhaps not before, but after the visit by the angel Gabriel to an unknown Mary, from Nazareth would come the Savior of the world.Mary the Virgin was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The angel Gabriel said to her:GREETINGS, YOU WHO ARE HIGHLY FAVORED! THE LORD IS WITH YOU.""Gabriel went on to say:DO NOT BE AFRAID, MARY. YOU HAVE FOUND FAVOR WITH GOD. YOUWILL BE WITH CHILD AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON. YOU ARE TO GIVE HIM THE NAME JESUS." "HE WILL BE GREAT AND WILL BE CALLED THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH.""THE LORD GOD WILL GIVE HIM THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID AND HE WILL REIGN OVER THE HOUSE OF JACOB FOREVER. HIS KINGDOM WILL NEVER END!And, rightly so, Mary was troubled and she said to the angel:“How will this come about since I am a virgin?”To which the angel responded:""THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME UPON YOU AND THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH WILL OVERSHADOW YOU.""So the Holy One to be born would be called the SON OF GOD.""The natural man scoffs at angels but the spiritual man knows that with God all things are possible, including angels.Mary, now with child, the Holy Ghost having come upon her, went to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth, relatives, and when she arrived, Elizabeth knew of this Immaculate Conception and Elizabeth said to Mary:BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN, AND BLESSED IS THE CHILD YOU WILL BEAR!Elizabeth knew that Mary would be the mother of her Lord and ours as well. So, the world was about to change because of that event in Nazareth. Jesus ofNazareth would soon be born in Bethlehem of Judea and this Nazarene, this SON OFTHE MOST HIGH would soon be known as THE SAVIOR, the Prince of Peace, the Christ of Glory.When Elizabeth had finished, Mary began her very own song of praise:MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORDAND MY SPIRIT REJOICES IN GOD MY SAVIOR!FOR HE HAS BEEN MINDFUL OF THE HUMBLE STATE OF HIS SERVANT. FROM NOW ON ALL GENERATIONS WILL CALL ME BLESSEDFOR THE MIGHTY ONE HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR ME HOLY IS HIS NAME!Such powerful praise and adoration this Magnificat of Mary was. Mary, the virgin, so humble in spirit, thought of herself as the HANDMAIDEN of the Lord, perhaps still puzzled as to why she was chosen to bear the King of Kings, but willing and obedient to do the will of God.And the Babe of Bethlehem grew within her. Fiancé Joseph, of the lineage of David, sought to put her away but again, an angelic message explained to him what had happened, foretold the birth of this Son and the instructions to him that His name would be Jesus. Thereafter, Mary would be wife and mother for Joseph. It is incredibly difficult to imagine how this man 2,000 years ago would react. Nothing like this in human history had ever happened before. He, Joseph was chosen to supervise and support the birth of the Savior of the world. That would be impossible for any man to comprehend but Joseph, obedient like Mary, accepted the angelic explanation and this divine drama proceeded.Surely, Joseph could see the remarkable changes in Mary. For those precious months,Mary's soul glorified the Lord. She told all that her spirit rejoices in God my Savior.Surely that glorifying and rejoicing was well noticed, even participated in by Joseph.""Mary, the humble servant of the Lord knew what great things God had done for her and she was perhaps the first to live in a brand new, revolutionary state of praise and worship. Soon, that would be available to all mankind.Then came the decree from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. Joseph, who belonged to the house and lineage of David therefore went to Bethlehem of Judea to register with Mary, since Bethlehem was the City of David. But the town was full and there was no room in the inn so that Mary and Joseph slept in a manger. And there, in that manger, Mary gave birth to a son and as a proud and loving mother, she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. Such were the humble circumstances of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Babe of Bethlehem, the Prince of Peace, and the Savior of the world.AND THAT IS THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS! That birth of the Savior of the world is what we celebrate at Christmas! This rabidly secular world of ours wishes to de-spiritualize this event and take CHRIST OUT OF CHRISTMAS. We who believe must never let that happen but rather band together in glorious praise and worship to the Babe and especially to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let not, my fellow Christians, the secularists abandon the Christ of Christmas.So, Christ was born and there began the spreading of the Word:AND THERE WERE SHEPHERDS ABIDING IN THE FIELDS KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHTAND LO THE ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED TO THEM AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHONE ROUND ABOUT THEMAND THEY WERE SORE AFRAID BUT THE ANGEL SAID TO THEM DO NOT BE AFRAIDI BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY THAT WILL BE FOR ALL PEOPLE THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVIDA SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN FOR YOU HE IS CHRIST THE LORDTHIS WILL BE A SIGN UNTO YOUYOU WILL FIND THE BABE WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES AND LYING IN A MANGERAND SUDDENLY THERE WAS WITH THE ANGELS A HEAVENLY HOST OF ANGELSPRAISING GOD AND SAYING GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHESTAND ON EARTH PEACE AND GOODWILL TO ALL MANKINDHow interesting that shepherds were chosen as the first to hear this angelic enunciation. Shepherds were watchmen, observant, especially at night as they made certain to protect their sheep. They knew the heavens, the stars and their movements. They were familiar with the night and they could, like wise men and kings, identify and follow the STAR OF WONDER, the star which shone brightly that night over the City ofDavid, the blessed Bethlehem of Judea, where the Prince of Peace was born.""And those shepherds left immediately and they found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in the manger. And when they had seen him, they were the very first evangelists, spreading the word of this miraculous and marvelous birth, the message they had been told by the angel about this Babe. And that was the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. From then on, the shepherds glorified and praised God for all the things they had heard and seen even as we who believe do so today. We well say today as the shepherds and angels did then:GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHESTAND ON EARTH PEACE, GOODWILL TOWARD ALL MANKIND""Men and women search today for truth even as the shepherds did. The search is everywhere but the truth, the ultimate truth was revealed to mankind in a manger in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. Wise men and women, who truly seek him, will find him there. Those who scoff, mock a virgin birth, the concept of angels, and the creation of a God–man will never, ever know that:NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GODNothing.But to find HIM is a most joyous, wondrous discovery. It is an epiphany like no other. The finding of the Babe is the finding of the world's greatest treasure. The power, the love, and the understanding which results from finding HIM is life–changing then and forevermore. That finding allows us to become as a little child, open and transparent, filled with love and compassion, fully understanding the GRACE of God and that gracious gift which changed the world 2,000 years ago. That faith in the Babe of Bethlehem is the key to entering the Kingdom of God, humbly trusting and believing even as Mary did of old. Women become handmaidens of the Lord as Mary did. Men become servants of the Lord as the shepherds did.So that, on Christmas Day, we discover the greatest present, the greatest gift one could ever find:THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM""The gifts we give to others at Christmastime can never begin to equal the gift of God to us. We should celebrate that gift FIRST and wherever possible, give the love of that gift to others. That is what Christmas is all about and that should never change.And we, like the shepherds should spread the news, the Good News. That is true evangelism and we who believe must never let that message die not only at Christmas but every day. The wise men of old found Him and the wise men and women of today, the truly wise who search will find Him. For in Him, it is all that God is. And that, as the angels well said, are indeed the glad tidings and the great joy for all.For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son to all humankind so that those who believe could have life abundant here and life eternal there. For those who""received this gift of God, there comes the power of God making them sons of God and daughters, life all brand new. Women praise the Lord like Mary of old. Men glorify the Lord as the shepherds of old. And that, and only that can bring peace to the world.The message of that Babe is the only message which can spread the goodwill of God and transform the lives of all mankind. May it be yours.We the Crawford Broadcasting Company, all of us, wish you a very happy, merry, blessed Christmas centered around the Babe of Bethlehem, and may the love of God in Jesus Christ be your very special gift this Christmas season. Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace and goodwill for all.CHRIST IS BORN!"

Christians believe they should share biblical solutions to America's cultural issues.Rightly so, for our Lord told us as true believers to go into all the world and preach the gospel, PREACH IT! Jesus of Nazareth went even further. He said when you do so:I WILL GIVE YOU THE WORDS!When, He said, there is that God-given opportunity to profess your faith, don't be afraid, don't be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for that saving gospel is the power of God unto salvation, available to all who call upon the name of the Lord. Be bold, be strong, do not be afraid.But many of us are afraid. We are easily intimidated, especially when confronted by strong, secular, even anti-Christian personalities. Radical secularists know just what questions to ask, what issues to pose, what statements to make, for in so many ways, they are the same over and again. No matter, when so many of us are confronted, we become insecure, defensive, even ashamed to admit the greatest fact in life, that we have been saved by grace and born again. In those ultimate confrontational moments, we soon forget the promise of the master:I WILL GIVE YOU THE WORDS!That is, of course, if you are a believer, a true believer and you have in fact been saved by grace.So, the question then becomes:WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU BELIEVE?Are you a real Christian? A true Christian? A bible-Jesus Christ-believing Christian with a belief from all of your heart, are you? Or are you an intellectual Christian? You know all about Christianity, and Jesus, and you have wrestled intellectually, mentally, with the propositions. You are therefore a Christian who can talk the talk whether or not you walk the walk. Intellectual, philosophic Christianity goes nowhere spiritually, no where at all. Therefore, the words that our Lord would give to that person mean nothing and in fact are not even heard. The intellectual Christian is only concerned with using his own words.There are those who are social Christians. They go to church, attend Christian functions, socialize with Christian people, and purport to live a Christian life, but with little or nothing inside. They can be called cultural Christians but not born-again Christians. In fact, they really don't want to be called born-again, saved by grace Christians. They are proud to be called denominational Christians (I am a Baptist). They have Christian trappings, like the Pharisees of old, but inside they are as Jesus said, like whited sepulchers, empty and devoid of the truth. They argue well, but they ignore the words of the Lord. It is really easy to identify those who talk the Christian talk but do not have within them the heart of love which salvation brings.When it comes to Christian witness, many of us hold back because of the:FEAR OF REJECTION.Avowed secularists think nothing of ridiculing us, our testimony, and our faith. When that happens, we withdraw, not wishing to be emotionally hurt and no witness, no stand for the Lord occurs. Far too many of WE THE CHRISTIANS cannot endure ridicule, ridicule of ourselves or our faith.Nor can we abide rejection. We wish to be accepted, well thought of, a good person, and to keep that image, we cannot be offensive. But that ignores the firm Christian-biblical statement that:THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS AN OFFENSE TO THE NATURAL MAN!To be a Christian, to witness, in any way by word or deed is to produce word or action which is an OFFENSE to the natural man, the man ready for verbal battle. It seems this poll says that only one out of four of true believers can withstand the verbal assault of the secularist.But, true believers, remember these words. Our Lord Jesus Christ told us the following:MAN OR WOMAN WHO WILL CONFESS ME BEFORE MEN, HIM ORHER WILL I ALSO CONFESS AS MY FOLLOWER, MY TRUE BELIEVERBEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN. BUT HE OR SHE DENIES MEBEFORE MEN, HIM OR HER WILL I ALSO DENY BEFORE MY FATHERWHO IS IN HEAVEN.So that, the ultimate testimony is that of our Lord before the Father IN OUR BEHALF. That will only happen if we confess our faith, stand for our Lord, and refuse to be intimidated, ridiculed, or rejected by the aggressive anti-Christian.But it should not be that difficult to confess our faith. What is difficult, in fact virtually impossible, is when we try to be something we are not, communicate what we really do not understand, or think that we have a burden, a duty, to hit the spiritual verbal home run every time we speak about our Lord. Go back, fellow Christian, to that time of conversion, to that time when you really met Jesus Christ. Go back to your commitment, whatever it was, however it occurred, YOUR COMMITMENT, not somebody else's. That life-changing event which meant so much to you. NO ONE UNDERSTOOD THAT MORE THAN YOU, NO ONE! You had that one and only conversion moment, individual, unique, one of a kind, your very own saving, forgiving, encounter with Jesus Christ, YOURS AND YOURS ALONE! If you really believe, if it was really worthwhile to you, life-changing, an event, occurrence and encounter which had then and still does now life-changing value, that should be easy, EASY to explain in a grateful loving way. There is nothing better than the unique, one and only conversion moment of any one individual. And that, my fellow Christian, is the most powerful Christian witness you could possibly offer. That is the testimony which our Lord will honor. That is real, loving, lasting, and there is no anti-Christian, non-believer anywhere in the world who can offer an argument against that.And that is all you need to say, nothing more. You can witness to your faith, as it has grown, as it occurs in your everyday life, as it grows in meaning, as it produces the total love of your heart. It is that faith which produces the works, the deeds (by their fruits ye shall know them) which clearly display the love of Jesus Christ which lives within your heart. YOU DON'T NEED TO DO OR SAY ANYTHING ELSE!In fact, you really shouldn't because then you are discussing something about which you know little or nothing, someone else's ideas, perhaps trying to be more intelligent about your faith than you really are, and it waters down your testimony. There is, for example, no greater testimony against abortion than a father or mother in love with Jesus Christ, testifying of their love for their child which God has given them.The world hungers for real Christianity, REAL! There is so much hypocrisy, irrelevancy, in the church and Christianity today. Far better, far more meaningful, more real than anything are the real words, deeds, experiences of a Christian man or woman in love with Jesus Christ. The Apostle John tells us that we will be known, that is, our testimony will be sure by the love we have for one another. Not only for our family and friends, but all humankind, in all of our life's experiences, and associations. There is no greater testimony than that of a life of a loving believer who knows that even well beyond faith itself, or the hope which Christianity brings, is the love, the love of God in Jesus Christ. THAT SHOULD BE YOUR TESTIMONY! You do not need to do or say anything more, nothing more. If you never graduated high school, that testimony would be more powerful than any theological treatise.The only real witness you would ever have, lasting, meaningful, and again, REAL, would be the love and gratitude you profess for Jesus Christ WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES! You don't need to stand on a street corner and pass out tracts. Our Lord will lead you when it is time to witness. HE will reveal the opportunity, and when He sends you into battle to represent him:HE WILL GIVE YOU THE WORDS!

We the people so privileged to live in America have so much to be thankful for. God has allowed us to live in the greatest nation in human history, in my opinion. How grateful we should be. Thanks be unto God for His incredible gifts to mankind.There are so many things to be thankful for. And we should approach this wonderful time of year with gratitude and Thanksgiving Day, and Thanksgiving week, and all year long, we should:GIVE THANKSAnd you are thankful, are you not my fellow Americans, for so much, so much that you have, so many opportunities that you have, and the life which God has given you to lead? You are thankful and grateful, are you not?Our forefathers, as they established America one-of-a-kind, the pilgrims and others, did exactly that:THEY GAVE THANKS OVER AND AGAINThose who came first to America brought with them a deeply rooted sense of gratitude for all good things. They were grateful to God for everything, the Great Giver of all things. They thanked their God with works and prayers. They sat aside a day in the fall, after harvest, to be especially thankful for all that God's earth had bestowed. They sat aside Thanksgiving Day to be grateful and to celebrate. The harvest reap assured them of survival and prosperity during the harsh winter to come and they were grateful. The earth gave and they harvested. The earth bestowed the bounty of God and they reaped the harvest, with gratitude and with thanksgiving. Even as they, the first ones here, thanked the God Creator for these unspeakable, incredible gifts, so should we.So, amidst the fun and fellowship of Thanksgiving Day and week, we should set aside time to be grateful. We should tell others of our gratitude and in a world so often negative and spiteful, let our attitude be positive and think about those things which are good, for there are so many of them.When households and humans the world over die every day, we should be grateful for life, for living, and for the lifestyle we enjoy. Opportunity for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is everywhere, thanks be to God. We can start by serving HIM, and others. We can work and be productive. We can learn and train. We can earn, and profit, and grow, grow personally and professionally in so many ways. And we can do that every day, EVERY DAY, and especially this day which the Lord hath made. Thanks be to God for opportunity, for the freedom which creates that opportunity.So we celebrate life and we who are pro–life pray that there may be no abortion. That life, man and woman, and family will be governed by Biblical principles. That the elderly will be loved and live as long as possible. That we will educate, and train up our young in the right ways so that when they are mature, they will take responsibility for our great country, protect the American way, and revive us again with a deep sense of morality. How thankful so many of us would be for such a revival, the revival of love and respect for our Lord and our great country. We should help them learn the lessons of grateful hearts.And surely, we should be grateful for family and friends, should we not? Those closest to us may be the least appreciated. We should share our love with them and tell them our feelings. We should thank them, and love them for all that they do and all that they are. There are those who do so much, give so much to us without thanks. Like a loving spouse. And our children, spreading their love and joy. And for our friends, ready in our time of need, sharing life with us and making it better. We should not only be thankful for all of them, but tell them so, and share the love we feel for them. So that we honor our Lord at Thanksgiving not only with love for HIM, but for others as well, our neighbors, even as we love ourselves. If you were to see them, be with them perhaps for the last time, what would you say? Thanksgiving gives you the opportunity to say it.And surely we are thankful for our freedoms, are we not? For our great Constitution, our Bill of Rights, our Declaration of Independence, our Rule of Law at work, and the freedom we enjoy to pursue life, liberty and happiness as we choose. No one, no entity, no government can tell us what to do. We can define our own happiness and pursue it as we wish. We can feel the joy of living as we wish and perhaps as much as anything at this special time, we should be thankful, THANKFUL for this.And, surely Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to CELEBRATE, and joyfully so. Most of us can enjoy wonderful food, and the aromas of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. How good it would be if we could make certain that others less fortunate could enjoy what we enjoy as well. We should be grateful Thanksgiving Day, and week and all year long for the food of the harvest we enjoy as our forefathers did. Even as we partake in the fellowship of family and friends, and the fun and good times of the day, and of course for so many the football, as we eat the bread of the day, we should remember the BREAD OF LIFE, the One who came for us and makes life so worth living. Even as we enjoy the fruits of the plains, so we should rejoice even more in the fruits of the Spirit. In all things, giving thanks, THANKS to the God who indeed blesses America.As a young boy at Thanksgiving, our family traditionally traveled to a local orphanage. There we sang and witnessed to them in word and song, brought them joy and blessings, and provided them with Thanksgiving food. Our family Thanksgiving Day started with that special blessing for them, and even more so for us. Even as we gave, we got more in return. Then, back home where our family tradition included a spirited touch football game on the front lawn, more games, more fun, more fellowship, morelaughter, and more joy. The joy of the Lord was abundant in our household and we were grateful, thankful to God for our father and mother, for our home, for food, and for everything we were given. We were safe and secure, wrapped in the arms of love and joy. How wonderful that was.And we think of the world at large. Wars and rumors of wars. ISIS kills without reason. Terrorism abounds, and the threat of that even in our own country. There is North Korea with incredible nuclear capability, seemingly ready to strike even our beloved America. And Iran, and Russia, and China, so that the world is at war or gets ready for it. We have been ordained, and privileged to live in these times, perhaps the end times which should cause us to be even more thankful for what we have, never taking for granted or assuming the future but living with thanks for this very day and the opportunities it brings. We who can and will enjoy the spirit of Thanksgiving should do our very best to spread that to a needy world. And the best of that of course is the Bread of Life, the salt and light of Jesus Christ, the first fruits of the spiritual harvest. We should spread that message the world over and give thanks to God for the opportunity. Only that message, that person can solve the world's problems, and make all humankind loving and grateful.So often, we sing or recite the words of God Bless America. For it is in fact, OUR HOME SWEET HOME. But God has already blessed America, and all of us. In so many ways, we have had the best of everything. Our lifestyle has been exceptional. America is in fact an exceptional country in so many ways and we should make certain that this, OUR LAND OF PLENTY shares that PLENTY, all that bounty with all of our fellow citizens. Thanksgiving gives us that very special opportunity to share in that way.And as we continue to pray for our great country, we should ask the God of all blessings to STAND BESIDE HER (America) and guide her, through the night and with the bright light of the Gospel at all times. For the moral light of America has been dimmed and we are no longer the beacon on the hill we once were. We should resolve at Thanksgiving to be a part of a new reformation, a new revival, grateful and thankful hearts returning to the very highest spiritual principles. That is real Thanksgiving at work. We should resolve to turn from our wrongful ways, we should pray for God's help, we should seek His guidance and wisdom, and above all, as Second Chronicles tells us, we should humble ourselves before our God and when we do all four, we will be heard and changed, fundamental moral and loving change will occur in our great country and in us. Thanksgiving should motivate us to do that.The blessings of God do in fact exist from the mountains, to the prairies, and to the oceans white with foam. God has blessed America with a uniqueness we should never take for granted. And at this wonderful season, we should be especially thankful for:OUR HOME SWEET HOMEAnd for all of those great and brave men and women who have fought and died for our freedoms, and made certain that we, who now enjoy, can live so abundantly in this our Home Sweet Home. We owe them gratitude this day and in fact at all times.Especially at Thanksgiving time, the words of that great song GOD BLESS AMERICA should ring out with love and gratitude:GOD BLESS AMERICALAND THAT I LOVESTAND BESIDE HERAND GUIDE HERTHROUGH THE NIGHT WITH THE LIGHT FROM ABOVEFROM THE MOUNTAINSTO THE PRAIRIESTO THE OCEANS WHITE WITH FOAMGOD BLESS AMERICAMY HOME SWEET HOMEI personally am so thankful for the Christian faith, for the love and salvation of Jesus Christ which is mine. I have experienced that spiritual harvest, and I have so personally enjoyed and partaken of the blessings of THE SALT AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Life has, for me, been so much more meaningful and I treasure and am so thankful for such wonderful blessings in my life. And so I personally say, thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift in Jesus Christ and I do hope and pray for the very same for you. May you and all mankind experience that love, and that salvation so that you can say at Thanksgiving time and every day this marvelous prayer:THANK YOU LORD FOR SAVING MY SOULTHANK YOU LORD FOR MAKING ME WHOLETHANK YOU LORD FOR GIVING TO METHY GREAT SALVATION SO FULL AND FREEAnd as well, gratefully and prayerfully, our grateful hearts should sing these wonderful words:O BEAUTIFUL FOR SPACIOUS SKIESFOR AMBER WAVES OF GRAINFOR PURPLE MOUNTAIN MAJESTIESABOVE THE FRUITED PLAINSAMERICA, AMERICAGOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEEAND CROWN THY GOODWITH BROTHERHOODFROM SEA TO SHINING SEAAt Thanksgiving time, my fellow Americans, may God bless America and may:GOD BLESS YOU!

"Elections 2024 are over, most thankfully!The campaigns for elections began so early and lasted so long that Americans experienced:ELECTION FATIGUE""And burnout, and even despair. It seemed like the election season would never end.But it did, and Americans resoundingly and clearly voted Donald Trump as President of the United States and JD Vance as Vice President. Trump and Vance won a clear majority of the popular vote and a resounding majority of the electoral college vote, both.Now comes four years, again, of Donald Trump in office, January 2025 through January 2029. WE THE PEOPLE experienced four years of Trump, 2017-2021. His record is clear. Now the question becomes:WHAT KIND OF PRESIDENCY WILL DONALD J. TRUMP PRODUCE FOR AMERICA IN HIS NEXT AND LAST FOUR YEARS AS PRESIDENT?""Many think Trump has changed, and for the better. Many believe that Trump has become more conciliatory, considerate of other people, cooperative, even with those hostile to him, in order to make certain that he does what is right for America. May it be so. The main objective of a new Trump administration will be to reverse what many feel is the disastrous policies of Biden-Harris and the Democrats in the last four years. WOKE has gone wild. Progressives have ruled the day. Trump intends to reverse all of that and:MAGA – MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!That is, restore American values as of old, become once again a constitutional country with deep respect for the rule of law. Trump has promised that in this next presidency, he will:DRAIN THE SWAMP.""And he pledges to do a far better job of draining and dredging the Washington political swamp.WE THE PEOPLE should hold him to those promises. We should watch, and pray, and stand up and be heard if Trump breaks any of these promises.THE ECONOMY. Trump has promised to curb and control inflation. Prices are out of control. We should hold him to that promise.TAXES. Trump has promised to lower and control taxation. He has also promised to de-politicize the INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS). That organization, constructed to be objective, has become a weapon when needed by the progressives in Washington. That organization needs to be restructured top to bottom. WE THE PEOPLE must hold Trump to that promise.GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS. Trump has promised a massive de-regulation clean-up in Washington and, like Ronald Reagan of old, to get government off the backs of we the people. We must hold Donald J. Trump to that promise.EDUCATION. Trump has promised to do away with the Department of Education. It has become weaponized, politicized, and aggressively progressive. We must, we must hold Trump to that promise.THE BORDER. Trump has pledged to shut down the border. He has emphatically promised to stop the ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. We must hold our new president to that promise without exception. It is just simply unbelievable that the Biden administration could operate in such illegal fashion, ignoring the constitution, endangering the economy, our cities, and so many of our citizens by forcing literally millions of illegal immigrants on them. Trump has pledged such ILLEGALITIES will stop the first day ofhis presidency. WE MUST HOLD HIM TO THAT PROMISE, WE MUST!""FREEDOM. Trump has pledged a revival of the First Amendment and its precious freedoms, protecting without abridgement and without government interference, our rights as citizens to the freedom of:RELIGIONSPEECHPRESSASSEMBLYPETITIONAnd nothing is more important to WE THE PEOPLE, the citizens of this great country, than the absolute guarantee of the right to and enforcement of those freedoms by anyone in power, including and especially Trump.ISRAEL. New President Trump has promised to support Israel even as the Biden administration has not. Trump has promised to encourage Israel to combat and defeat""Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and especially Iran and any other mid-eastern force which wishes the extinction of the Jewish state and all of its Jewish citizens.THE TRUMP AMERICA WILL STAND WITH ISRAEL!""CHINA. China is the most dangerous and lethal foe and enemy of the United States. Military experts believe that there is no other course but war with China, sooner or later. That can occur soon on if China invades Taiwan. WE THE PEOPLE pray that will not happen, but it seems inevitable. Like it or not, America must stand up to China.And more. There is much more that the Trump-Vance administration has promised WE THE PEOPLE. We must hold Donald J. Trump to those promises. We must:WATCH PRAYSTAY INVOLVEDWE MUST HOLD TRUMP TO THOSE PROMISES. Trump has promised to protect the integrity of the Supreme Court. He has promised that there will be no change to the ELECTORAL COLLEGE. We must hold him to those two promises. He has promised to drain the swamp, defang, de-weaponize, and defeat the growing power of the force of state, the agencies of the Federal Government, and we must hold Trump to that promise. We must.Donald J. Trump will be our 47th President. WE THE PEOPLE must watch, pray, and not just hope, but demand the promised performance of the Trump administration. WE THE PEOPLE voted for him with a very strong majority. Now, WE THE PEOPLE must hold:DONALD J. TRUMP TO THE POLITICAL PROMISES HE MADE!""Then, and only then, can we expect that: GOD WILL BLESS AMERICA!"

"It's over! Finally, Elections 2024 are over and done with.It may have been, say many American legal citizens, the worst elections ever. It was a season of negativity, lies, half-truths, slander, personal attacks, all of which adding up to national and international disgrace for our once-great country. The candidates and their conduct, almost all of them, were indeed an embarrassment to WE THE PEOPLE. Do you feel that way?Many Americans are deeply concerned. They worry, fret, and are deeply concerned with the future of our country. They worry about the future, do you? They know that most politicians say and do what they need to do in order to get elected, and then, with virtually no compunction, do what they please, join the power structures, and fly their true political colors. They worry. They are afraid. They are concerned. They have little faith in government and rulers. Are you like that? Do you, as seemingly millions of others, believe that the end is near for America, do you?Our Lord Jesus Christ has a message for you. He says emphatically in Matthew 6:25: DO NOT WORRY!""Don't worry, Christian. Rather, move on, or as Paul says: “PRESS ON FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING!”""DON'T WORRY! And more from scripture:" "LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED, NEITHER LET IT BE AFRAID.""Our God is in control. We may not understand the means, but that control is real. All governments are ordained by God. They come about by His will. So do rulers, dictators, kings and presidents. When it comes to government, elections, and the authority given to those who exercise power:THEY ARE ORDAINED BY GOD!Nothing happens politically other than as a result of HIS WILL. Nothing. We should never forget that. If we have done everything we can for the good, for right, for justice,""we have voted, stood tall, done what we are expected to do, all the rest is up to the God of the universe.And our God reminds us, constantly reminds us: MY WAYS ARE NOT YOUR WAYS!My will, which will be done in heaven and on earth, may or may not be something you understand. We should ask for that understanding, that wisdom, and we should pray without ceasing for the answers we seek. But, if we do not understand or agree, we should always recognize that what happens, everything that happens, EVERYTHING isaccording to His will. EVERYTHING!""If then, we set our affections on things above and not on things on this earth, then and only then will we not worry. Then and only then will we not give a single thought for the morrow, for no matter how much we plan, worry, none of us can add one singlehour to his or her life, no not one. So, says Jesus of Nazareth, don't worry, DON'T!""The more we worry, the more our Lord describes us as persons of: LITTLE FAITH" "O YE, O YE OF LITTLE FAITH.""The more worry, the less faith. The more faith, the less worry. We may worry about earthly kingdoms and kings, but Jesus admonishes us to seek first HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness, and all will be well. The structure of His kingdom, the rules and regulations, and the standards for his righteousness never change. They are eternal, abiding, consistent, always just, where love, real love, abounds. So, set your affections there, up there, in there where there is nothing but faith, hope, love, and justice, andnone of it ever changes, NEVER!""There are some who seek vengeance for wrongs done. Don't, says the Lord: VENGEANCE IS MINE SAYS THE LORD. I WILL REPAY!Not you, but me. We, on the other hand, should:REJOICE.""And, the Apostle Paul confirms. In fact, Paul says we should rejoice in all things, and he says again, and for the second time, I say:" "REJOICE.""Think positive. Don't let your heart be troubled. Rejoice in the Lord. GIVE THANKS IN ALL THINGS. All things. Think on those things, says Paul, which are just, pure, lovely,commendable, praiseworthy, happy, joyful, and loving. And, says Paul, always have""hope, grow and stand by your faith, and remember that everything ultimate comes down to one word:LOVE,""and especially that of the love of Jesus Christ which passes all understanding!So, don't worry, my fellow Christian, DON'T WORRY! Render under Caesar the thingsthat are Caesar's. Abide by the law, unless Caesar, the government and its rulers cross over from government to the spiritual realm and trespass on the things of God. Then, you are required to stand up, protest, resist, and do everything in your power to protect and defend the things of God. You are commanded to do that knowing that, with the power of our Lord,:“YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS US.”""You can. So:REJOICE – AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE.Live by the joy of the Lord, never lose faith, hope, or love, and:DON'T WORRY.""Our Lord tells us that he will guide us with His eye, that He will give us the words we need, that He will meet our needs for food, clothing, and shelter, and so those mighty and reassuring words in Matthew 6:25-31, which you should read, and with this absolutely necessary admonition:DON'T WORRY - REJOICE!""Our God is in control."

So many of the governments, the ruling authorities in this temporal, human world, are controlled and run by dictators. There is no freedom, no individual rights or rule of law, and no constitutions which protect the people, the citizens of that country. No freedoms at all.Those human beings, God created, have one burning priority, which totally dominates their lives. That is, the prayer, the hope, the wish for:FREEDOM.They want to live their lives, pursue their destiny, develop their talents, change without fear, and most importantly, worship as they please or not, and speak as they will without fear of retribution. That simply doesn't happen, whether in Iran, Iraq, Gaza, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, North Korea, and so many of the African and Central American countries. THERE SIMPLY IS NO FREEDOM!Not so in America. We The People have, and so often take for granted, what those poor human beings pray for every day. That is, freedom in every facet of our lives, and especially the freedom to:VOTE.We American citizens can elect those who would govern, those who would exercise the power of our constitutions, to govern, interpret, and rule. We can vote for anyone we wish; or perhaps tragically so, we are not required to vote at all if we so choose. Perhaps unfortunately, should we choose not to vote, we would still enjoy the freedoms, the lifestyle, the benefits, the protections, and the guarantees which our great and one-of-a-kind America still offers. We can choose not to vote when people the world over are ready to even give their lives if necessary for the rights to choose their governments and their leaders, whatever the cost. I for one think that to be the strongest kind of dereliction of civic duty. That precious right, privilege and opportunity was ours Tuesday, November 5. We had the privilege of electing 537 men and women, leaders who would govern, rule, and make decisions for our lives for the next 2, 4 or 6 years. Those leaders would choose the next Supreme Court justice, determine our military policies and investments, secure our borders or not, protect our incredible rights under the First Amendment of our Constitution, including the freedom to worship, the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition, and perhaps most importantly to millions of Americans, determine in moral terms, America's position on abortion, the murder of the unborn, whether or not we would support Israel, how deep our American debt would be, our policies on taxation, and so much more. I wonder how any individual could watch those policies unfold knowing that he or she never voted. IT IS OUR AMERICA (WE THE PEOPLE) A PRECIOUS REPUBLIC, IF WE CAN KEEP IT! I wonder if we can.Franklin Graham reminds us that the Bible clearly teaches that governments are ordained by God to restrain evil and enable righteousness to flourish (Romans 13:3-4). Graham believes that it was and is our Christian duty to pray and vote for candidates who best align with and stand for biblical principles. I hope and pray that you did just that.The Apostle Paul admonishes us, we the Christian people, in I Thessalonians 5 that:WE SHOULD TEST EVERYTHING; AND HOLD FAST TO WHAT IS GOOD.I pray we elect leaders at any time who believe just that.In recent years, the evangelical, the biblical church, has made concessions to the demands of this apparently anti-Christian culture, so much so that the power of the gospel in our society has been watered down, abused, ridiculed, and in so many ways rendered null and void. So many of the once fiery and faithful pulpits have fallen silent, refusing to speak out against the moral decay of this present time, fearing retribution or alienation. It is well past time for those in the pulpits to experience a full-boar revival and return our pulpits to the mission of the real gospel once again.But, my fellow Americans and my fellow Christians, when the elections are over, when our leaders federal, state, and local have been chosen, it is time for us to put aside partisan differences and to pray for those in office as we are so admonished in scripture:PRAY FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM!But then comes the next phase of our civic responsibilities, and as such, we should never neglect our duties as citizens or relinquish our duty as those citizens to make certain that our leaders exercise Godly wisdom in public life. We can not withdraw from public life. The Godly wisdom of biblical Christians is needed now more than ever and it is our duty to make that happen.But perhaps most importantly, never forget, my fellow Christians, the marvelous admonitions of our Lord in Matthew chapter 6 where we are admonished in verse 25:THEREFORE, I SAY TO YOU, DDOO NNOOT TT WWOORRRRYY ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHATYOU WILL EAT OR WHAT YOU WILL DRINK.Or anything else for that matter, and especially the world of politics. We live under governments ordained by God, rulers he allows, and perhaps it is up to us, We The People who cherish the good, to do our very best to make certain that our leaders do what is good. As long as we do everything we can and should, we can rely upon the fact that the will of God, the will of our Lord, is at work, and his will shall be done. So then, whether or not we understand or agree with everything which happens in this world, we can know it is God ordained and we should:PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

What a privilege it is to be an American citizen, really an unbelievable privilege.If you study the history of mankind, the rise of nations, the rulership of kings and queens, and dictators, and judges, and you look at the role of common human beings like you and me, in short if you compare America to any other nation in the history of mankind, there is none like her, NONE AT ALL!We are a nation based on democracy and freedom. We were founded by patriots and forefathers who knew that there was nothing, NOTHING that equaled the fundamental human priority of:FREEDOMand the building of a nation to protect, preserve, and defend FREEDOM. Our forefathers, constitutionalists, gave us a nation which they termed a REPUBLIC, a nation with constitutional protections which, no matter who was elected at any level of government, would make certain that every citizen of this great new country would enjoy the rights and freedoms, those inalienable ones divinely determined, no matter who exercised power.Our forefathers who gave us our beloved constitution and politically structured this great country counted upon the fact that WE THE PEOPLE would be lovers of freedom, even as they were. They believed that anyone who became an American citizen and had the privilege of living in America would have the blood of patriots coursing through their veins, and would do anything and everything, even willing to shed that blood, if necessary, in order to protect this great country and the freedoms which it offered. They believed that we would believe, like Patrick Henry, who said:“GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!”Our forefathers counted upon us to be the ultimate checks and balances holding individuals, departments, and all of government accountable, voting them out, convicting them of high crimes where necessary, and never letting any government or governmental official take away any constitutionally guaranteed freedoms including and especially the precious freedoms of the First Amendment of our Constitution. They believed that real Americans would step up and with all their might, protect the freedom of religion, and protect the freedom of speech, especially the freedom of speech, and the freedom of the press, and the right to petition our government and be heard, and to assemble in lawful groups at any time, especially churches, to discuss, worship, or otherwise socialize. Our forefathers codified that belief in our constitution, believing We The People would never take those previous rights and freedoms for granted, never assume that they would always be there whether or not we were actively involved in their protection. Those real patriots would today be shocked, utterly dismayed, broken in mind and spirit should they be able to see how We The People have put our great country in such danger, such risk of loss of the fundamental pillars of our great society.Not only is there seemingly a lack of concern among so many citizens regardless of belief, but also Christian citizens who wish no involvement in politics. But, says the Billy Graham organization, you cannot separate politics from the Bible. The Old Testament is immersed in politics. It is about God creating nations, ordaining kings and kingdoms and rulers, and with prophets rebuking kings. That is politics.And our Lord admonishes us to render under Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to make certain, as citizens, that all governments and rulers work for the good of the nation and its people. It is therefore, so very many believe, the DUTY of every Christian to be involved in politics, to make certain they function for the good, for justice for all, for righteousness, for equality, and to know that God himself created all men and women equal without divine preference or prejudice, and we the people should make certain those intentions and priorities of the creator of our universe, of all things, and of us, are carried out. THAT SURELY INCLUDES OUR FULL INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS!The Apostle Paul says in I Thessalonians 5:21:BUT TEST EVERYTHNG; HOLD FAST TO WHAT IS GOOD!We should remember that apostolic admonition when we vote. And vote we must, for that is the ultimate act of involvement, political decision making, which is not only our right as citizens and Christians, but our duty as well. It is, in my view, the ultimate betrayal of the privileges we enjoy as citizens and Christians, if for any reason we do not vote. Where there is good to be done, it is our duty to do that good. It is our duty to vote for the very best people who will exercise the power of our governments and do the most good.Often, the choices we have are limited. The people for whom we can vote may not be to our liking or the policies they espouse may be somewhat different, less perfect than we might require. But hear the words of James Dobson and Family Talk:“I'M NOT VOTING FOR THE PERSON. I'M VOTING FOR THE PLATFORM!”That, I do believe, is good advice for we are voting not necessarily for the person. We are however voting for a politician, none of whom is perfect by any means, and we are not voting for a pastor. It should matter not about the personality of the person but the platform, the priorities. The vote we cast should not be on the basis of a like or dislike for an individual, but on past performance, the actual works, deeds, words, of the person to whom we would delegate the power to rule. We should examine carefully, past performance, points of view, the platforms and policies offered, and vote for that person who would do the most good for America and its citizens, WE THE PEOPLE! We should vote for leaders who would protect and preserve America, and our Constitution, and our freedoms, for that is POLITICS.So, in the words of Franklin Graham, we should first and foremost:PRAY.Pray that God would give us the right options in potential rulers. Pray that God would give us wisdom to discern and understand how to vote right. Then, from our Lord's prayer, comes the ultimate result:THY WILL BE DONE.And, having done everything that we could do and should do, the will of our Lord will have been accomplished. What a job, what a privilege, what a blessing to be an American citizen and to live in this great country as millions the world over wish to do. So, as we vote, and our nation reforms its political structure we should say in prayer with all our hearts:GOD BLESS AMERICA!

There comes, in some two short weeks, the most important and critical elections which our beloved America has ever encountered. Elections 2024 will determine the future, the heart and soul of America for decades to come.You, American citizen and person of faith, will vote in this election, will you not? If you are Christian, and you wish to protect your faith, the freedom you have to enjoy and practice your religion, and the free speech guaranteed by the Constitution, you have no other choice:YOU MUST VOTE!You must.Troy A. Miller, President and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) says unequivocally and emphatically:“CHRISTIANS HAVE A MORAL AND ETHICAL DUTY TO VOTE NOVEMBER 5!”Miller says that a Christian really has no choice but to vote. There is no option not to vote for there is a moral, Christian duty to vote. So, my fellow Americans, legal citizens, and Christians:YOU WILL VOTE NOVEMBER 5, WILL YOU NOT?Troy Miller goes on to state the following:“It's time to get millions of evangelical voters to the polls.”Is it ever.In this election, there are seven so-called swing states, the votes in which and the electoral college numbers, pundits say, will determine the election. Listen to this tragic statistic. It was estimated that in Elections 2020, an estimated 7 million evangelicals in those 7 swing states did not participate in the election:DID NOT VOTE!That is a shocking, frustrating, and tragic statistic and it is, says Miller, one inexcusable, unpatriotic, uncaring, abandonment of civic duty and concern and love for America, and of course the freedom of the Christian faith we hold so dear.Dr. James Dobson, he of Family Talk Fame, is greatly concerned for the future of America and the outcomes of Elections 2024. Dobson also agrees fully, as do his cohorts, Michelle Bachman and Gary Bauer, that America is on the path to destruction if evangelical Christians, real Christians, do not vote, and vote right and informed for the very best candidates. So, you will vote, will you not? YOU MUST VOTE!Hear the words of candidate for President, Donald Trump:“OUR ENEMIES ARE WAGING WAR ON FREEDOM AND FAITH, ONSCIENCE AND RELIGION, ON HISTORY AND TRADITION, ON LAW ANDDEMOCRACY, ON THE FAMILY, ON CHILDREN, ON AMERICA ITSELF.”It is simply tragic to learn how many real Christians, so-called evangelicals, bible-believing and Christian-faith-practicing Christians have not voted and who do not intend to vote 2024. That is absolutely tragic, almost sabotage to our great country and an utter and total disrespect for the freedoms, the lifestyle, and the American way we all enjoy and which so many take for granted. But progressive, liberal thought and activism have contaminated the mainstream of American life and culture, and in the words of Franklin Graham:“SO MUCH SO THAT ONCE UNTHINKABLE ABOMINATIONS SUCH ASSAME SEX MARRIAGE, ABORTION ON DEMAND, AND TRANSGENDERADVOCACY HAVE BECOME DOGMA IN ONE MAJOR PARTY'S PLATFORM.”That political party is of course not Republican. I wonder if you can guess which party that would be? Various and considerable strong biblical, God-fearing, evangelical leaders have said unequivocally, that a vote for Harris-Walz, or Democrat senators or congress persons, is indeed a vote for unlimited abortion, transgender advocacy, and the curtailing of freedom of speech and religion, and the growth and power of all governments, and the drift of America towards Socialism and even Marxism itself. More from Franklin Graham:“The Bible clearly teaches that governments are ordained by God to restrain evil and enable righteousness to flourish.”And then Franklin Graham states unequivocally:“That's why Christians should carefully pray and vote!”Like Troy Miller of NRB, and James Dobson, and so many other evangelical leaders, Graham really believes it is the moral duty of a Christian to vote, to protect America, and to elect the best possible candidates. So, my fellow Americans, legal citizens, you will vote will you not? YOU MUST VOTE! The senatorial voting and the gubernatorial decision making of Harris and Walz lead so many Christian leaders to state the following:“CAN ANY THINKING, WELL INFORMED CHRISTIAN VOTE FOR ANY DEMOCRAT?”Given what this party stands for, its platform, what Harris truly is and what she believes, and what she will inevitably do should she be elected President, will result in the most anti-Christian, religious persons of faith political administration in the history of our country. Christians have a duty to do everything humanly possible to prevent that from happening.Vote 2024, Christian, VOTE! Protect your constitutional freedoms. Stand up for what is morally right, traditionally American, and biblical truth. STAND UP! YOU and so many other, literally millions, of bible-believing, real Christians can in fact determine the outcome, up and down the ballots, of Elections 2024. YOU CAN DO THAT! So, never forget the admonitions of Troy Miller, Franklin Graham, and James Dobson:YOU MUST VOTE 2024!YOU MUST.

Every four years it seems, we the people are told that we will face the most important election ever held in America, that for the President of the United States, and of course, the 435 representatives of the House in Congress, and as many as 35 U. S. Senators, in addition of course to state and local elections as well. EVERY FOUR YEARS!But many politicos, and even so very many Christian and evangelical leaders do state unequivocally that elections 2024 are THE MOST IMPORTANT ever held in the history of our great country. Franklin Graham is one of them. And so is Tony Perkins. And so is Brent Bozell of Media Research Council. And very passionately so is Dr. James Dobson, he of Family Talk ministries, along with his very own Gary Bauer and Michelle Bachman. It may very well be, my fellow Americans, the most important election year in the history of our great country and so I ask:DO YOU INTEND TO VOTE?And, as you vote, will you really know the candidates, the issues, what will happen if certain individuals are elected and will you render an:INFORMED VOTE?Will you?I for one, and so many others in the Crawford Broadcasting Company, say to you, our faithful and loyal listeners and the Christians who get daily value from our stations that:YOU MUST VOTE!I believe it is your duty as a Christian, and in the case of these elections, clearly your duty as an American citizen (a legal American citizen) to:VOTE.Again, I say unequivocally:YOU MUST VOTE! WILL YOU?America, says Franklin Graham, has drifted far from the biblical values that once stood as our rock-solid foundations. We have turned our back on God and the results have been devastating.Progressive, liberal thought and activism, says Graham, have so contaminated the mainstream of American life and culture that once unthinkable abominations such as same sex marriage, abortion on demand, and transgender advocacy have become dogma in one major party's platform! It is not difficult at all to identify to which party Graham refers. That is clearly the Democrat party, and the head of that Democrat ticket, Kamala Harris and indeed every bit as much so Tim Walz, the would-be Vice President, and so many others. That leads to the question, rightly posed:CAN ANY REAL CHRISTIAN VOTE FOR HARRIS-WALZ AND THE DEMOCRAT PARTY?The answer of course is a resounding:NO!Democrats champion government control, not only through a socialistic (socialism) approach to government, but even in some extreme ways to the brutal Marxism itself. Democrats are by no means persuaded by the realistic and right-on philosophy of Winston Churchill, Great Britain's great Prime Minister who said:“SOCIALISM IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF FAILURE, THE CREED OFIGNORANCE, AND THE GOSPEL OF ENVY.”And more from Churchill:“THE INHERENT VIRTUE OF SOCIALISM IS THE EQUAL SHARING OFMISERIES!”The socialistic approaches of the Democrats and Harris-Walz will lead America down the path of socialism and worse in the four years to come if they are elected.Harris is an avowed, open, fully supportive advocate of absolutely no restrictions of any kind by federal, state, or local governments, on:ABORTION.Democrats do not want to leave abortion decisions to the states but wish the codification of the old Roe v. Wade so that, as binding federal legislation, it is the law of the land, and applicable in every state, all 50 states! That indeed is more evidence that no thinking, caring, spiritual, born-again Christian can vote for Harris, is it not? As US Senator, Harris was rated by GovTrack as “the most liberal senator, of all 100 senators,” THE MOST LIBERAL! Harris voted in favor of legal infanticide, she vowed to force taxpayers to fund abortion, she believes that a religious test should be applied to judicial and supreme court nominees. She sponsored the unbelievably radical EQUALITY ACT, which in many ways would put an end to religious freedom in America, she promoted legal prostitution. Harris opposed homeschooling and school choice legislation, she fully supported Planned Parenthood, and Harris openly lobbied for girl's restrooms, locker rooms, showers, sports and even women's prisons to be open to biological men. So, the question is posed again:CAN ANY THINKING, CARING, TRULY BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN VOTE FOR HARRIS-WALZ?So, if we the people, the Christian people, the real Christian people that is, wish to be the SALT AND LIGHT which our Lord tells us we must be, then we cannot vote for Harris. It seems as though our only choice is to vote for Donald Trump and JD Vance as President-Vice President, and republicans who are far more likely to uphold traditional American and Christian values.Harris and Walz are major proponents of the:EQUALITY ACT.This brutal act, if passed, would allow male-bodied transgender women (biological males) to utilize women's private spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms, shelters, and participate in women's sports and sports leagues. Employers would be forced to provide healthcare insurance coverage for hormone treatment and sex-reassignment surgery for individuals with so-called gender dysphoria. Parents would be federally banned from seeking counseling for their children struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction or gender confusion.If Harris-Walz are elected, this brutal, freedom-extinguishing act may very well become law, and every Christian and Christian family will be subject to its horrible terms and conditions. This is yet another reason why no thinking, caring, real, true-born-again Christian can vote Democrat and absolutely cannot vote for Harris-Walz.Here the words of the one-of-a-kind BILLY GRAHAM:“WE WORSHIP THE GODS OF SECULARISM AND MATERIALISM. GOD IS DISPLEASED, AND I WARN YOU THAT HIS ANGER IS BEING KINDLED.”Boy, is it ever. The forces of secularism, radical, ultra-progressive, socialistic secularism are the leading, driving force in our great country. And, that is so because WE THE CHRISTIAN PEOPLE simply do not step up, STAND FOR THE RIGHT AND TRUE MORALITY, and do everything in our power to elect right thinking men and women who will govern this great country and us with it. We have indeed lost our right to ask:GOD BLESS AMERICA.Perhaps our only prayer is:GOD HELP, GOD SAVE AMERICA!But if we the people don't stand for what is right, and for Christian values and morality, no matter the cost, we can not expect the intervention of our God, and we will lose the America we true citizens of this republic and our freedoms have long-since taken for granted.It is, I and so many others firmly believe, our duty, and especially our duty not only as citizens but Christians, to:VOTE.You must vote, and you must vote in an informed, intelligent, issue-oriented way.If you are a Christian, a real true born-again, God-fearing and believing Christian, can you in good conscience vote for Harris-Walz, can you?

Are you afraid? Do you fear the future?Are you afraid or at least deeply concerned about America, the radical changes which are occurring in our once great country, and in fact the world over. Do you fear for the future, for your family and friends, for yourself? Do you fear that America has lost its way, is now in the control and political decision making of those who are anti-American, anti-Christian, and wish fundamental and radical changes in our country in every meaningful respect, are you really deeply concerned and afraid?Many are, a very many, many perhaps by the millions. That fear, to the extent it exists, can paralyze an individual on the one hand, preventing any kind of action, or it can mobilize an individual to do more, to stand up, to fight the fight of faith, and to do everything possible to prevent those radical changes, satanically influenced, from happening to our great country and then to that extent to the world at large. In which camp do you find yourself, the one who is fearful that you can do little or nothing, or the other so powerful that you will do more than you had believed you were capable of doing? Which camp, which kind of individual are you?The concern for America is real, but the fear of inevitability, resulting in a powerlessness is not. Hear the words of our Lord through the Apostle Paul:“GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND.”Our Lord has put power in your life, POWER! You can fight the fight of faith for both our Lord and America (God and Country). You and I are powerful through HIM and because of HIM. While at the same time we can show Christian love for our enemies, we cannot love, and we must indeed resist, evil and the devil which propagates it, so that real love can abound.You and I need, now more than ever, a:SOUND MIND.We need to be able to think, rationally analyze, understand political issues, candidates, problems and potential, and we act accordingly, VOTE accordingly. We cannot be deceived by false prophets or false advertising. We must know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth for it is only that truth, God inspired, which can make us free and keep us free. That is a sound mind at work, always thinking, discerning, knowing the signs of the times and reacting accordingly. So that, as Christians, even as we KNOW in whom we have believed, so it is in the worldly realm, and the world of politics and government, that we are required to know in whom we can believe and trust to prevent these radical changes from occurring.I do believe that we cannot ask God to bless America, even to help America, unless WE HIS PEOPLE are doing everything in our power to champion the truth, the right, and Christian principles and values. If we do, in fact, our very best for country, than we can expect our God to hear our prayers when we ask for his help and intervention and to not only help America, but to bless America.BE NOT AFRAID! In you, there should be no spirit of fear, but only the love, the power of God Almighty! If you are a child of salvation, then you know the reality of that promise.We, his children, are warned by our Lord that because of our faith in Him, active and uncompromising, we can expect persecution. We can expect hardship. We can expect resistance, separation, disrespect. The more we truly believe and testify of the love of Jesus Christ, the more disrespect and persecution we can expect. But that faith is worth it! In fact, it is more than worth our laying our all on the altar no matter the cost. We do the best we can, but knowing all the while, that God is on the throne, in control, and so very often:HIS WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS.If in fact we move toward the END TIMES, as scripture predicts, then the road grows more narrow, more difficult to navigate, full of hazards, testing us, our character, and commitment, and that really is the bottom line. How much, say all these terrible events, do you love and trust your Lord? For, it is His will which will be done (on earth as it is in heaven) and when we have given our all, and done our best (two absolute preconditions), then it is our duty to trust in Him for the results as God would will. That is so for America, our world, and even the future of mankind.We should never forget that God is all wise (omniscient), all powerful, all knowing, and in control of everything:COMPLETE CONTROL.The spirit bears witness within us, leading, directing, goading, prodding when we need it, making sure we do our best for Him. That Holy Spirit makes sure we know when we do not do our best. He made us Americans, responsible for America. He gave us the opportunity to live here, to witness for Him, and we owe Him. We owe Him our best to protect what He has given us, the most unique and the finest country, government, and lifestyle in the history of mankind. Unless we completely spiritually shut down, the Holy Spirit of God lets us know that we have let him down. That is a reassuring spiritual check and balance. Knowing that, there is absolutely no reason why we should be afraid, none at all. But rather, we should claim over and again the promise:FEAR NOT! FOR I AM WITH YOU.No matter what happens, we should never lose hope. Our hope is in Him and in things to come. The reality is we are citizens of a greater, larger, heavenly, spiritual kingdom. Here, we are temporary dwellers, temporary residents. Our citizenship is there and with Him. How then can we ever be afraid!Think about David who in his most fearful moments, trusted the Lord, SANG unto the Lord, verbalized his feelings in song, joyfully, rejoicing in:GOD, HIS (DAVID) SAVIOR.And the very same for us as Christians, we sing at Christmastime and hopefully all year long:JOY TO THE WORLDTHE LORD HAS COME.We sing:HAPPY AM IJESUS LOVES ME.No matter what happens, especially political, God ordained, wills, and is in control and we should rejoice in knowing that. If God is love, and God is love, then we should always rejoice and be glad for IF WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST AS CITIZENS, then the rest, the outcome, the results are up to HIM.So, my fellow Americans, and fellow Christians, be not afraid and claim the promise of our Lord:I WILL GUIDE YOU WITH MINE EYE!Whether here or there, we are SAFE IN THE ARMS. That should be more than enough to make us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, don't you think? So, no matter politics, government, the things of this world, we must always remember that only three things abide, and only three things last for all eternity. They are:FAITHHOPELOVE.Never lose your faith in the God who is in control of everything, EVERYTHING and Everybody!Never lose hope in Him or the best result for all things as He wills, or hope for a better future with Him or for a better future here as he would will.And always allow your heart to pour out its love for all things and all people, for no matter what else, the very greatest of everything on this earth and for all humankind is:LOVE.SO, BE NOT AFRAID. I AM YOUR GOD AND I WILL GUIDE YOU WITH MINE EYE!

Owe no man nothing, says the scripture.The fact remains, however, that every single American is in debt, EVERY ONE OF US. Every day of every month, we owe someone something. That debt could be as normal as a phone bill, electric bill, cell phone or cable bill, or currently repayable credit card bills. But, we always owe something if we wish to live in any reasonable way in this world.What that debt admonition means is that we ought not to owe anything which we cannot repay in the present in whole or in part. None of us could own a home unless we were able to borrow a mortgage for 10, 20 or 30 years, and make the monthly payments with interest thereon. If we can repay that 30-year debt on a monthly basis and timely so, that is a manageable obligation and not the kind of debt proscribed by scripture.Debt, unpayable debt, and especially that debt which accumulates with interest, sometimes as much or almost so as the debt principle itself is crushing. It is always there, its presence a constant reminder that so much of the future has been mortgaged and that our present spending endangers and preempts our options for the future. Families are ruined by that kind of debt. So are marriages. Profligate businesses go bankrupt and governments, nations and states which over-borrow and accumulate crushing interest obligations sacrifice the future for the present. They kick the financial can down the road.And that, my fellow Americans, is the pathway and the financial condition of our beloved America. Our once great country, operating on a current budget, the financial envy of the world, the dollar the hallmark of financial stability, is now the unbelievable debtor in the amount of:$36 TRILLION DOLLARS.$36 Trillion Dollars. As incredible, hard to believe, and frightening as that number is, the interest America pays on those $36 trillion dollars of debt is now at or about:$1.3 TRILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY.$1.3 Trillion dollars in interest alone!That means, my fellow Americans, that every American household owes as much as $275,000 of that debt. Or that also means that every tax paying person in America, every citizen, owes the sum of approximately $110,000 to our creditors, foreigners and foreign nations, and American business entities and individuals. $275,000 PER HOUSEHOLD and $110,000 PER PERSON. That is the kind of debt with interest that scripture so aggressively warns against. But we do nothing, our leaders do nothing to stop the bleeding and solve the problem. The overwhelming debt problem. But some day, we will have no choice but to deal with this horrendous financial reckoning.Economists now believe that the nation's debt of at or about $36 Trillion Dollars is indeed an existential threat to our great country, and to us, we the people. The fact of the matter is that America does not owe this debt, we do. WE, THE PEOPLE, the citizens of this great country owe that $36 trillion dollars, with its unbelievable annual interest burdens. WE OWE THAT MONEY! And someday, we will have to pay it. What an unbelievable effect that will have on our lifestyles and our future. That existential threat threatens our very existence!But our Federal Government continues in its profligate way. It spends, and it spends more. It never seems to care because it can postpone the debt, financing even more of its spending, and it always has what it thinks is the fail-safe remedy, and that is:TAXATION.More taxation, more taxes, for we the people to pay.And more bad financial news. Economists estimate that by the year 2034, a decade from now, America will add $20 trillion dollars to its debt of $36 trillion dollars, which would put our country in debt by the staggering sum of $56 trillion dollars, $56 TRILLION DOLLARS! And some economists think those estimates are conservative, believing that the real debt will be as high as $60 trillion dollars or even more if spending continues as is. That would also mean that the annual interest alone on that staggering debt would be somewhere between $2 Trillion and $2.5 Trillion Dollars Annually, and possibly more. In the year 2034, our total debt will be approximately 120% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). And hear these words carefully:NO NATION HAS EVER CARRIED THAT KIND OF GOVERNMENT-DRIVEN DEBT AND ESCAPED CALAMITY. NOT ONE GOVERNMENT IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF MANKIND HAS EVER SPENT OR WILL SPEND WHAT WE AMERICANS ARE AND ESCAPED ABSOLUTE AND TOTAL DISASTER AND CALAMITY.Not to worry, say the Democrats in charge and in power and seeking four more years of spending privileges, assuming the election of Harris-Walz. We will simply tax the rich more and more. Even if there is a sharp rise in the tax rates for the wealthy, that meager amount of additional income would never begin to seriously pay down the debt which our once fiscally responsible America now owes and will owe ten years from now.But that day of reckoning will come when we the people will pay an unbelievable price for the profligate way our Federal Government spends our money and accumulates this strangling, bankrupting debt.Regarding the so-called rich, the top 1% of Americans in terms of earnings reported 26.3% of the country's adjusted gross income and paid accordingly:Almost 46% of total income taxes!All the rest of America's taxpayers, 99% of them, paid the grand total of 54% of all taxes. But there is never any effort to tax more the 54% but only the so-called rich and wealthy 46%. That is fiscal policy which leads to absolute disaster!Even more interesting, the top 10% of all earners in America provided 76% of the total revenue, tax revenue, and the other 90% of taxpayers provided 24% of tax revenue. If you were not one of the so-called wealthy, you have really gotten off cheap by taxing comparison.Our great country, We The People, face the ever-present possibility of default in payments to our creditors, now $36 trillion dollars and in 10 years to be some $60 trillion dollars. That default of any serious kind would set off a major depression and fiscal revolution THE WORLD OVER. That economic crisis could well ruin the world.There would also exist in America HYPERINFLATION. That is what occurred in Germany where the German Mark was absolutely worthless. If those tragic and calamitous conditions arise in America, our dollar will be just like that Mark and virtually worthless itself.That debt-caused disaster will produce incredible internal instability, even revolution, and the very real potential of the destruction of law and order. It could also occasion the rise of dictatorship, as the very same fiscal problems in Germany gave rise to Adolf Hitler and it would undoubtedly be the end of our great democracy.But, my fellow Americans, that debt and the problems it causes, are:OUR FAULT.Our responsibility. We the People allowed that debt to happen. We continue one election after another to elect a president, a senate, a house of representatives which do nothing, absolutely nothing about the problem, continue to spend, talk the talk but never walk the walk, and again do absolutely nothing about this incredible end-of-America problem, nothing but nothing. But the day of economic reckoning comes, and we will pay, WE WILL PAY! Or, our children and grandchildren will pay. The life and lifestyle which they hope for and work for will never materialize and the America we now know will never be the America they will ever know. What America once was fiscally and economically will be nothing more than an historical footnote.Wake up, my fellow Americans, please wake up. You vote, you elect these politicians to represent you. You allow them to spend your money, to tax you, to do as they please with YOUR money but the one thing they never do is hold themselves accountable for the way they spend your money, the fiscal problems they are causing, and the insurmountable debt they are creating, which may very well never be repaid. That of course would be the end of the democratic America we now love and enjoy. But again, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We the People allow these reckless economically indifferent or ignorant politicians to do what they please, spend our money as we will, and we continue to do nothing:NOTHINGabout that spending or them. When this disaster, this calamity occurs, we will have no one to blame but:OURSELVES – WE THE PEOPLE!

There was a time, in America no less, when true evangelicals, real born-again Christians, were of great moral influence and persuasion numbering perhaps as many as 75-80 million citizens. The Moral Majority was founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr. and it was indeed a powerful organization, politically, culturally, and spiritually.But today, far from constituting a moral majority, the evangelical Christian of today finds little tolerance, much less acceptance, by their fellow citizens, many of whom are anti-Christian to the core. The shared moral ideals of old have indeed deteriorated and no longer have the priorities they once did. That includes FAITH. Real Christianity, biblical Christianity, born-again Christianity is ridiculed or ignored by the IMMORAL MAJORITY of today's culture. The concept and value of FAMILY are torn apart and the governments of today substitute foreign and often godless concepts and meanings which attack and depreciate traditional values and definitions. Freedom, once a burning priority, now hangs in the balance, watered down by legislation, indifference, and constant attacks on our constitution.Especially within the last decade, faithful, biblical Christians have witnessed ideological disintegration of trusted religious institutions. That has resulted in an incredible cultural compromise. Conduct and behavior that was once forbidden is now not only allowed but encouraged. So much of the freedoms Americans take for granted was relinquished during the pandemic and even church attendance, the freedom of assembly and religious worship, was also forbidden by government action.That sense of compromise and indifference even permeated the church pulpits. Church after church, pastor after pastor, seceded to the demands of an anti-Christian culture, accepting compromise and change to traditional and long accepted Christian tenets and the gospel message, once proudly preached, was seldom heard in one denomination after another. So many American pulpits fell silent, fearing retribution or alienation.Many Christian believers witnessed evangelical leaders' quart secular acclaim by compromising on conservative Christian values and, like the false prophets predicted, preached a foreign gospel or none at all. Strong Christian values that contributed to American strength and vitality but were recast by these false prophets, outmoded and second class. New concepts, often man-made were formed to water down traditional biblical concepts of salvation, born-again, faith and works, and so much more. Those believers who held fast to strong biblical principles and concepts were often depicted as “violent enemies of democracy” because they failed to recognize, accept, and give credence to the priorities and beliefs of the anti-Christian majority which seemed to be taking place in America.Consequently, so many Christians abandoned the world of politics in their very own country. In a recent survey by the respected George Barna, more than half of the Christians surveyed reported that they did not pay much attention at all to political news, which would inevitably be essential to understanding the issues most relevant to believers. As a result, an estimated 7 million evangelicals in swing states did not participate in the 2020 presidential election. Had they done so, results would have been entirely different up and down the ballots. Barna estimates as a result of the conclusions of that survey that shockingly:AN ESTIMATED ONE THIRD OF ALL EVANGELICALS IN AMERICA SATON THE SIDELINES (DID NOT VOTE) IN ELECTIONS 2020.Even if they did, those evangelicals not paying attention to news and information about politics and government were in so many cases incapable of making informed, educated, voting decisions.The one presidential candidate who addressed the Christian audiences, spoke to the issues which concerned Christians, and otherwise collaborated with the National Religious Broadcasters was Donald Trump. Trump addressed in positive ways, the issues which really concern Christians including freedom of expression (First Amendment, Speech and Press), prayer in schools, homeschooling, America's support for Israel, and the role of religion in public life. No other candidate for president did so. In fact, the Left has extended no hand of friendship to born-again believers. The Left has in fact elevated “unlimited abortion” as the non-negotiable priority of their policy agenda. No true Christian can tolerate such a position, and it leads to the question:CAN ANY TRUE CHRISTIAN VOTE FOR ANY DEMOCRAT?Further, and disturbingly so, many Christians will not vote for a candidate whose personality they find offensive. Many for example do not personally like Donald Trump and even though his policies are more akin to their beliefs, they will not vote for him. Many will also not vote for a candidate whose private life they do not like. Many use that excuse not to vote for Trump, at least for now a convicted felon. Perhaps even more do not like the way Trump communicates, speaks, and finding his public image objectionable, will not vote for him. What a tragic loss for America, for Trump and the republican party champion values and decision making which is far more akin to Christian values and positions than their democratic counterparts. The withdrawal and non-involvement of Christians and Christian voters is indeed tragic for America. Real Christians, many believe, have no choice but to vote for Trump and the Republican party and its candidates if they wish traditional America and traditional American values to remain.Real evangelical Christians must thoroughly examine the records of candidates on the critical issues, including:immigration and illegal immigration (the border)pro-family policiesreligious freedom (the Constitution and the First Amendment)national securityfederal spending and the incredible American debtthe economy and inflation (pricing)parental rights (in the world of the transgender)conscience protectionsAmerica's support for IsraelChristian voters must also consider the regulatory overreach of the Federal Government and the disastrous fiscal policy which the democratic government has adopted and utilized and what some believe is the weaponization of government against private citizens, including and especially people of faith.Christian radio, and I am proud to say the Crawford Broadcasting Co., devote much of their broadcast time, finances and concerns in programming which seriously address the concerns of Christians today and our beloved America at large. So many of us, who love our America, are deeply concerned with what is happening in all facets of our great country, and we are determined to make a difference, to educate all people including and especially Christian believers, real evangelicals, and encourage them to do their duty as American citizens and become fully involved in government, in politics, in the elections, and to take a stand for what is right, for traditional moral values, and to do everything possible to have America and its citizens return, rethink, and reevaluate the disastrous moral and cultural trends which now affect and radically change our once great country. Said one Christian politician:“WE ARE THE BLESSED STEWARDS OF A TEMPORAL HOME BUILTON A FOUNDATION OF FAITH TO THE BEST OF OUR FOUNDER'SABILITIES. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE IN OUR POWER TOSAVE AMERICA FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.”Amen. We, the Crawford Broadcasting Co., fully agree, and we are dedicated to that purpose, and we hope and pray you believe and act the same and that you will do so for the glory of God and the salvation of America in Elections 2024. It really is our Christian duty.

Do you intend to vote in this critical November election, do you?Are you registered to vote so that, unlike many others, you are a legally qualified voter?America needs your vote, YOUR VOTE! America needs your informed vote, a vote that is educated in the issues, understands the essential workings of politics and the government, and assuming you are Christian, voting for candidates and issues with the direction and guidance of your Christian conscience.YOU MUST VOTE!For many Christians, they seem to find reasons not to vote. If those Christians find the candidates personality, or private life, or public image objectionable, that gives them reasons, really excuses, for non-participation, for not voting. And that, my fellow Americans and fellow Christians, is simply dead wrong. As Troy Miller, President and CEO of NRB, the National Religious Broadcasters Association:“I urge Christians who are so inclined to pivot from personality andtake a closer look at policy.”That is a strong message to those conservative Americans and Christian Americans that if, for example, you do not like the personality, or the private life, or the public image of Donald Trump, those are not reasons for you not to vote for Donald Trump. If in fact Trump and his party represent and will champion and defend the policies and political decisions which are consistent with your Christian values.Dr. George Barna has produced a new survey indicating that:“Theologically defined evangelicals (are you one?) are no more likely thananyone else to be attentive to news about politics and government.”That is a sad, sad indeed conclusion and I do hope that you are not one of those evangelicals who doesn't care, isn't involved, and doesn't intend to vote. You and I have, so many believe, a theological duty to be involved to the extent we can in the political process and most importantly, in every meaningful election:VOTE!That Barna survey indicates that an estimated 7 million evangelicals, in swing states no less, did not participate or vote in the 2020 President Election. If those 7 million registered and potential voters actually did vote, the outcomes and elections of candidates up and down the ballot would have been entirely different. And that was in so-called swing states alone.Generally, across America and in all states, the Barna survey estimates that one third, 33%, of all evangelicals did not vote or participate in the political process in 2020! One third. If there are, as many think, as many as 75 million so-called theologically defined evangelicals in America, that means according to the Barna survey that as many as:25 MILLION EVANGELICAL AMERICANS DID NOT VOTE IN 2020!That is a startling and frankly sickening survey conclusion and they discredit and disgrace not only the privilege of American citizenship, but to our very Lord himself! As many as 25 million registered American citizen voters in 2020, says Barna, did not even simply bother to vote. To me, and to so many others, that is just simply unbelievable, UNBELIEVABLE! That led Troy Miller to state in his article:“WE HAVE A DUAL ISSUE OF TURNOUT (NOT VOTING) AND TUNE OUT (NOT PARTICIPATING IN OR BEING INFORMED OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS AND ITS ISSUES).”I do hope and pray that you, if in fact you are Christian and Evangelical Christian, are not one of those 25 million. You and I have the unbelievable privilege of being citizens of the greatest country in the history of mankind. At least, it once was. We live in a country where true freedom exists, or at least it used to. We the People, all people, including Christians, all people of faith or not of faith, have freedom of religion, complete unabridged freedom of religion, and the very same total and complete freedom of speech, and press, and no government, including and especially the Federal Government, can in any way interfere with or abridge those precious, inalienable, God-given through the constitution, freedoms we enjoy, and now have begun to assume and take for granted.We also have freedom of petition. We can say what we want, ask what we feel is right to do, complain, criticize, compliment, and express what we believe to anyone who acts as our political leader at any level of government. They are duty-bound to listen, read, understand, and respond, whether or not they do. That is our constitutional right.Perhaps most importantly as Christians, we have the constitutional and First Amendment right to assemble. That is, to form, support, attend, and be involved in the functions of a church or any type of religious organization. No one, including and especially the Federal Government, can prevent any American from worshipping as he or she pleases in any venue as he or she may wish and the slightest abridgement of that freedom is constitutionally wrong, illegal, and cannot be tolerated.WE, THE EVANGELICAL PEOPLE, are free, we have been given these freedoms, we can partake of them without fear of retribution and with those freedoms, those benefits, those assets, we consequently have the duty, the God-required, American citizen-required, duty to protect, defend, and to be involved in the processes (voting) which involves the protection and continuation of those freedoms. Therefore, it seems perfectly clear that we as Christians, and perhaps especially as evangelical Christians, do in fact have the:DUTY TO VOTE.Are you registered to vote?Do you intend to vote?Will you encourage others, especially other evangelicals, to vote, will you?If you claim those freedoms as your rights, and I hope and pray you do, than as a result of those rights, you have the duty to protect those freedoms, to be informed, educated in the political process to the extent you can, and most importantly, to participate:TO VOTE!None of the freedoms which we enjoy as Americans exist in Russia, or North Korea, or China, or Iran, or many of the other Far Eastern countries, and socialism abounds in many Western countries which were once more democratic and those people in so many parts of the world yearn for the freedoms we enjoy and take for granted as Americans and are probably stunned to learn that so many of us simply do not care, are not engaged, and do not:VOTE.So many men and women the world over and in all of history died to either get or protect those freedoms and if this political-voting lethargy, which exists in so many parts of America continues, that day may soon come when the blood of freedom loving individuals, real American freedom patriots, must be shed if those freedoms are to be protected and preserved. That will sagacious vice of former and early U. S. President Thomas Jefferson. He was right, perhaps dead right. America is changing and may radically change, the loss of freedoms expedited depending upon the results of Elections 2024, especially if evangelicals do not participate, do not vote as it is estimated some 25 million did not in 2020.Please vote my fellow Christians. Protect our constitutional freedoms for yourself, your spouse, your children, your family, your friends, and all Americans. AMERICA NEEDS YOU INVOLVED AND YOUR VOTE NOW 2024 MORE THAN EVER!

Work is good. Work is necessary for the fulfillment of every human being. Work is required of every person according to his or her capabilities and talents, so sayeth the Scripture. All of us must work to survive, live, grow and profit and be all that we can be and as God intended us to be.Our very own America was built on hard work, and is in fact itself a work in progress. The progress depends upon us, we the people, how hard we work and how we make things happen. The majority of we the American people are hard workers. And, the harder and the better we work, the better America and all of us are. To be sure, nothing comes easy in this life, nothing. Everything we have or enjoy is the product of hard work by someone, whether you, or me, or someone else. You and I must do our share, accomplish our calling for the very short time we have on this precious earth. Life, said the wisest man of old King Solomon, is but a vapor here today and gone so soon tomorrow. We should make every working day count to the fullest.Pioneers built our country. They were men and women who did little but work hard morning till night. They farmed land never before productive. They raised animals and used them for work and feed. They built houses, and churches, and City Halls. They built roads and bridges. They built autos and trucks. They built hospitals and invented medicines. They designed and manufactured clothing. They created places for entertainment and worship. They built elaborate and majestic campuses for education and things theological. They built laboratories and science centers and they sent us deep into space. They were then and we are now the workers who made America great, America, the most exciting, creative human and social experiment in all of history. You and I should be proud of them and we should be proud to be workers like they were. The more we work, the better we are, caught up, energized and thrilled by the spirit of America, our exceptional opportunity to pursue our dreams and to build our future. America and those who believe in what it stands for are indeed EXCEPTIONAL and we have been blessed by EQUALLY EXCEPTIONAL opportunity. As we work, we should do everything possible to protect and defend the opportunities, lifestyles and freedoms which America offers.How wonderful it is that the talent and ability of every individual God-Made is different, unique. It is marvelous indeed that every single person has talent and gifts which are in fact different. That is true divine diversity. None of us are better at least not in the sight of God, but different only. Each of us has our own special CALLING. So, no matter who you are, YOU are special and it is your right but every bit as importantly your duty to utilize those God-given talents to the fullest. It is your duty to fulfill your calling. So then, we should not be concerned with what others think nor should we judge what we do and how we work by the standards of others. Nor should we be inhibited by their criticism. For we need to know ourselves, be true to that special self and soul which God has created and through prayer and meditation, come to a full recognition of those talents and be the very person God intended that you and I be. We can fail, but we can bounce back. The opportunity for growth and change is still available in America, thank God. Ignore rejection and focus on your calling.So then, my fellow Americans, you may be called to be a mother. Be all that you can be as a mother for the sake of your children and do your God-given calling with all of your might. Or perhaps you are secretary, or babysitter. Perhaps you clean for a living. Recognize all such work as a calling and do your calling with all of your might. Or perhaps you are plumber, electrician, landscaper, restaurant worker. Do your calling with all of your might and as you can, as unto the Lord. Or perhaps you are lawyer, accountant, radio salesperson, financial planner. Do your calling with all of your might. And if you are the President of anything, including the President of our great United States, you perhaps have a calling with higher standards, duties and demands. No one should do a calling better than you WITH ALL OF YOUR MIGHT!So, we work, we produce and as we do, we should expect return which of course includes money and profit. We work for economic growth and benefit, for the fruit of our labors. We follow the biblical prescription that we can expect even with minimum work product the return of that work one for one. Or perhaps, five to one. Or even as Scripture indicates, perhaps as much as ten to one or more as we diligently develop and exploit those talents and capabilities through hard work. The money return from our work, efforts, creativity and initiative is blessed by Scripture. That money return is right, as we become work men and work women worthy of our hire. We plant, as Scripture says, and Mother Nature waters and it is GOD who gives the increase so the Scriptures say. It is a good thing to make money and to be rewarded for our work. Money supports. Money helps others. Money creates opportunity. The best of us at work, hard work, is exactly what this world of so many ENTITLED needs now more than ever. In fact, hard and productive work is so necessary for this world of entitlements in which we live in order for it to survive and continue. It is well and good indeed to help those all in real need. But all who can, any and all including those receiving entitlements, should work as they can.But today, unfortunately it seems, there are those supposedly progressive in thinking who wish to tell us that profit is wrong, especially in excess. That profit made is the result of GREED at work. Profit they say is not as a result of hard work or special skills, but rather the exploitation of others. Ignore them. You are worthy of the profit and gain of anything you produce at any level of life. The more you invest as a mother, the better your child, perhaps better than others. Enjoy the fruit, the profit of your labors. When you build something, revel in the fruit of your labors and do it with all of your might, and better than others. For no matter what progressives or others would say, YOU DID IN FACT BUILD IT, and you did build it yourself. In fact, so much of what is built would not have been built without you or me. Revel in, enjoy and profit from anything and everything YOU BUILT!But work produces much more than money. Those who understand the value of work realize full well that the doing well of anything is the reward itself! The satisfaction, the fulfillment, the full expression of the self among mankind and before God are THE BEST REWARDS. They are indeed more valuable than money for money comes and goes. But the rewards of work well done last a lifetime and are in fact eternal. We create an earthly balance sheet, personal financial and loss statements here and now, but it is the ETERNAL balance sheet which really counts. Nothing goes with you, no matter what you leave behind, but only the heavenly balance sheet you create. For there is always something more, often much more than the work itself or the profit therefrom. There is good, often enormous good in work well done and even very spiritual good. See that clearly as part of the goal of your calling and WORK which only adds to the return and the enjoyment.So, the work we do can be not only for money, or profit, but for non-profit. For worthy causes. For the good of society in which we live. For all humanity, especially those in need. For the Christian Church and for the Christ we love and serve. For blood drives. For HIV awareness and treatment. For feeding and sheltering the homeless. For carrying the message of the Gospel to forsaken and needy parts of America and the world. Shepherding and guiding children. Tending to the needs of the elderly. Visiting and comforting those in prison.THE WORK OF THE LORD AT WORK FOR ALL MANKIND, AS WE ARE CALLED.All of these things make us what we should be before the Lord and our fellow man.So many of us are people of faith. But our faith, sayeth Scripture, without works is dead. Whatever you believe, whatever your faith, there is no way for anyone to know whether or not it is real except by your works. Talk is cheap. But by the fruits of your labors your fellow human beings will know you. If there is in fact a work of God in you, a CALLING, a life objective, the works that you do will prove to others who you are. What you and I do not do also proves who we are. The great thinking Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that not to act is to act. Negative actions, doing nothing, can be as potent negatively as actual action itself.Unfortunately, there are those who do deceitful works and works of iniquity. They are known for their fraudulent and deceitful acts. They work not for the good of mankind, but only for themselves, for ego, for elicit gain in a deceitful way. Their works and their lives are in vain. William Shakespeare said that the evil that men do lives after them, the legacy they make and that evil is the only thing remembered here and in eternity.So, it is our duty to study, to grow ourselves in our career and constantly make ourselves better, so that we can show ourselves approved as work men and women, understanding the objectives, values and priorities which are ours, always growing in our understanding, especially the Scriptures so that we can be approved by God before him as well as man. Learning, whether a trade or in law, or by gaining experience and growing or by learning from others, or the school of hard knocks, and by mistakes, learning standards of excellence to which we can aspire so that we can be all, ALL we can be, working with all of our might knowing in this world that indeed the night is coming where no man can work. Work while you can and the best you can.In this life, we slow down, age or perhaps lose interest or motivation, and of course energy and our ability to work dissipates or even ends. With that ends opportunity and potential and we may not have finished what we are called to do. Some retire, or quit, or are forced to retire prematurely. Some of us are fortunate enough to finish and accomplish our objectives and purposes, while others can not. For us, we are fortunate that even Jesus of Nazareth said in John's Gospel that he had in fact finished the work for which the Father had sent him. He had accomplished His objectives, fulfilled His purposes and He did so to His last dying breath. Our goal, like HIS should be to finish our work, the work for which we were sent by God and meant to do. That is the greatest fulfillment this life can offer.We are called upon by God Almighty to live every day to the fullest. CARPE DIEM my fellow Americans, seize the day. It is the day which the Lord hath made and for you to work and be productive. Worry not about tomorrow, or the criticism, expectations or even the rejections of any man. It has its own problems-evil-which you can not control or do anything about. But, rather think in terms of how precious every minute of every hour of every day is, and rejoice in that. Maximize the opportunity that minute brings and, whatever your hand finds to do, YOUR CALLING, do it with all of your might. Every God-given minute is indeed an opportunity there once never to return. So that everything we do, everything no matter how menial works together for good. The joy of living is so special. We are told by our Lord that He is come that we might have life in its most ABUNDANT form and that our joy, OUR TOTAL JOY may be full. There is joy in every moment, as we work, as we rest, as we play, as we love others and as we understand who we are and:BE ALL THAT WE CAN BEThose who love to work and love as much to be productive and make things happen know that the ultimate reward for such work is:THE VERY WORK ITSELFNo matter the accolades of man, or profit, or any other earthly benefit, the ultimate reward, the ultimate satisfaction is the work itself. Nothing feels better to any right-thinking person than a job well done, having done the best you can with all of your might.So then, for the Christian, there is something even greater than works. There is GRACE, saving grace. And no manner of works can ever equal that. The grace at God at work trumps the works of any man, but when added to works, leads to the complete fulfillment of that life. We can and should be proud of the works we do, but the work of God in Jesus Christ, saving grace through Him is the greatest work of all. The combination of grace producing work, the right work is the very best thing in life.So, my fellow Americans, work hard. Work well, with purpose. Know your calling. Do what you were CALLED to do, and do it in each and every minute, hour and day of your life. Do what your Creator would have you do and you will find fulfillment in that work and in your life. It matters not whether you are housewife or President, millionaire or middle class, never forget that:YOU AND YOUR WORK ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANTYOU AND YOUR WORK ARE UNIQUE, DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHERSWe need not the approval or recognition of mankind however enjoyable that may be. We need to work to be approved by God, who knows us, our every thought and deed. His approval is all that matters.I and the Crawford Broadcasting Company honor all of the men and women in America who work, and work hard, and make America, family and friends, and all of us so much better and especially those who work as unto the Lord. Find the work you love to do, really love to do and you will never work a day in your life!God bless you work men and women worthy of your hire and it is because of you that:GOD WILL BLESS AMERICA

George Barna, he of the ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY, may well be the most respected Christian surveyist in America. In a survey he conducted, released August 6, 2024, on CHRISTIAN EVANGELICALISM and Christianity in America, the Barna survey said the following:“The cultural awareness sparked by the Covid pandemic and the 2024 Presidential campaign has led millions of Americans to realize just how depraved American society has become. Corrupt politicians, dishonest journalists and media outlets, broken social institutions, immoral religious leaders, unconstitutional government programs and policies, and more, have generated non-stop headlines highlighting the decadence of American society and the demise of the United States.”That, my fellow Americans and fellow Christians, may be the most damning judgment of our great country in many years. The depth of the depravity in America, says Barna, is shocking. And it really is with no end in sight. The real reason for this satanic cultural decline says Barna:“is a direct result of the spiritual collapse of Christianity in our nation.”Barna is right. The once dynamic of Christianity in America does indeed seem gone, tarnished, diminished, of little force and effect, not only nationally and generally, but individually as well.The survey found that this steep cultural decline emanates from the dramatic transformation in the evangelical community in the United States during the past 30 years. Real evangelicals, however that is defined, seem to be far fewer in number and even more importantly far less biblical in their thinking and beliefs. There has come about the growth of SYNCRETISM, which is a worldview that combines core beliefs and behaviors from a variety of other well-defined worldviews such as Marxism, Secular Humanism, Eastern Mysticism, and Postmodernism. Individuals, in other words, offer their own worldview, belief system, and ultimate values with core beliefs gathered from any number of sources and the Barna survey indicates that as many as 9 out of 10 adults are in fact categorized by this CUT-AND-PASTE approach to their philosophy of life. That also means that any absolute truth claimed by scripture, THE BIBLE, is unacceptable or only acceptable in part, and Christianity, once a dynamic, monolithic force in America and the world, no longer exists. SYNCRETISM has won out over Christianity!Christians, evangelical Christians, what is left of them, now vote in far fewer numbers than once believed. They are simply far less active in the political process and seem to have little concern for results, so says Barna.And more, most evangelicals do not possess a biblical worldview with only about one third of so-called evangelicals doing so. In fact, says the Barna survey, evangelicals are more likely to be shaped by the culture around them, than they are to influence that culture or even more importantly, evangelize it.So then, the ultimate question then becomes:WHAT IS AN EVANGELICAL?If the absolute truths of the Bible, the gospel message, the old and new testaments are at best guides and syncretized with other religions and worldviews, and beliefs and values, and that affects evangelicals, what really is an evangelical and what does a real evangelical believe?Several decades ago, it was thought that there was some 60-70 million adults who were in fact bible believing evangelicals. Barna estimates that today, that figure could be as low as 25-30 million adults. I, for one, do hope and pray that is wrong, for an aggressive, moral, committed, right-thinking and living evangelical is a critical component of the American society.Barna then goes on to state, as a result of his most recent survey, that the following priorities and beliefs are foundational for the current day evangelical.First, God is the all-knowing (omniscient), all-powerful, just and perfect creator of the universe.God is the basis of all truth, and those truths are conveyed to us through the Bible.The purpose of life is to fully know, love, and serve God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and there is no other besides him.Satan, representing all evil, truly exists and is the author of the current immoral society.All humans are born into sin and can only escape the consequences through Jesus Christ.All such beliefs are incorporated in the Bible, its 66 books, and do in fact comprise basic tenets of belief which a real and true evangelical must embrace and adopt. Do you, as Christian, real Christian, believe in those Christian fundamental and basic tenets, do you?The Barna survey then concludes that as many as 7 out 10 so-called evangelicals do not believe in all of those tenets and of more concern, reject the idea that truth is absolute and biblically based. Small wonder that Christianity is on the decline and no longer acts as the antidote to the immoral decline in American society.It is indeed tragic that there are millions of evangelicals who do not vote, so concludes George Barna, are not active in the political process, do not seem to care about political happenings, candidates, or events, and otherwise totally ignore and walk away from their citizenship responsibilities. When these good men and women abandon the political arena, the very bad, immoral men and women take over, exercise power, work to foster things anti-Christian, and further enhance the immoral decay and slide of this once great country. Time, survival time, for all of us, for American democracy, runs out.More Barna findings. As many as 50% of so-called evangelicals believe that eternal salvation can in fact be earned through good works, something directly contrary to the strong teachings of scripture.Almost 50% believe, says Barna, that there is no absolute moral truth, again something absolutely contrary to biblical teaching.And this survey found, shockingly so, that somewhat more than one out of every five so-called evangelicals prefer SOCIALISM TO CAPITALISM! In short, it seems that even the modern-day evangelical has been syncretized, believes something from scripture but otherwise believes whatever they want to believe or whatever they think is right to believe. Small wonder, my fellow Christians, that there is an amazing, considerable, seemingly irreversible immoral decline and slide in America, its culture, politics, and beliefs.Are you a Christian, and are you an evangelical Christian, and if so, what do you believe, what do you really believe and what is the foundation for those beliefs, the source, the reality of those beliefs? The power of the gospel at work in the lives of individuals, individuals by the millions, is the only real thing which can impact, change, and reverse the immoral slide in this once great country. So that, say many, our motto should not be GOD BLESS AMERICA, but GOD HELP AMERICA! And powerful, moral, people of faith, at work, in control, and dynamic in influence are the only ones who can reverse and save this once great country. I do hope and pray that you are one of those Soldiers of the Cross. That you are ready to put all on the altar and that you will be an active force in politics and culture in America.And, that you will vote and be active and outspoken in elections 2024!

What makes a leader?Is a leader born, born with those natural leadership qualities, or is a leader made, made by experience, trial and error?A leader surely is one who steps up, steps forward, takes charge, one who recognizes the opportunity to provide direction, encouragement.A leader is surely one who is not afraid to make decisions, take risks, and in extreme cases, be willing to risk life and limb for what he or she believes is right.A pastor, for example, takes charge. He speaks with voice strong, courageous, especially when those words come from the Lord who has promised to those who love him:I WILL GIVE YOU THE WORDS!A leader should surely have perfected the art of:LISTENING.Surely for the Christian, one should listen for the direction, the guidance, the wisdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. The meaning of the words is then magnified, and they contain the wisdom of the Lord rather than that of a man.A leader is strong, courageous, not afraid. A real leader knows that God has not given him or her the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. That loving, sound mind, divinely created, is perhaps the strongest evidence of a real leader.A mother is a real leader, the captain of the children which God has given her. She trains them, this female leader does, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. She instructs, disciplines, sets standards and values, and by her words and actions, cultivates love and respect not only for her, but for all women, for all humankind.The values she conveys are strong Christian values, clear standards of right and wrong, and no one in the household in which she is THE LEADER deviates from those standards. She lives those standards by example. She shows her faith by her deedsand her words always have value and meaning. No household, no husband or wife relationship, no father or mother at work can be all that they can be without the leadership of a mother, a true, loving, god-fearing mother.A true leader is creative. A plumber analyzes a problem and fixes a toilet. Every true blue collar person at work is creative, a leader, a problem solver, a fixer, taking charge of that situation and making it right. Fixing a broken toilet is leadership at work and that God-given ability can translate to every part of that man or woman's life. Plumbers are leaders. Carpenters are leaders. Mechanics are leaders. Daycare workers are leaders. Doctors and nurses are leaders. They possess those God-given qualities which can translate to all of life in so many ways.It should be the task of every man and woman to understand themselves, to analyze their strengths, capabilities, creativity, and understand all the ways in life, everyday life, how they make decisions, take charge, fix problems, and lead. Every single individual God created possesses significant leadership qualities and no one, no matter their calling, career, or life's work, should ever be disrespected, and perhaps more importantly, never disrespect themselves.A true leader is loyal. Faithful is he or she in everything.A true leader is honest. Integrity rules their every thought, word, and deed.A true leader is positive, knowing that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord. In a negative, often evil world, the positive, make-it-right attitude, approach and conduct proves to all that this man or woman is in fact a true leader.We are all born with those characteristics. They are inherent, God-given. Unfortunately, so few are recognized or ever developed. But they can be by the experiences of life, from the challenges, the difficulties, the problems which every human being will face. The true character of every person will be challenged in so many ways as life goes on. Our courage and commitment will be challenged. That is especially so if we are spiritually minded, Christian at heart, standing tall and uncompromising for the Lord Jesus Christ we love. Leaders are always at work in little things not just large. Real leaders make leadership decisions in every aspect of life, every day in every way. They follow the example of their Lord, who promised, as our shepherd, that he would lead us in the paths of righteousness, that we would fear no evil, that goodness and mercy would follow us all the days of our lives, and that we should live by those promises.That very same leader from Nazareth promised that He would guide us with his eye upon us, and in every life situation, bring out the best in us. Trust that, ask for that, believe in that.You, everyone, were given these strong leadership qualities. You can be a leader in these paths of righteousness and make every person an opportunity in your life better. Believe in yourself. Bring out the best in you, always. Pray for His wisdom, strength, and courage. And you will be all

POLITICIANS LIE!All of them. Do you know of any politician at any level of government who tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, all the time, do you? I don't.It is as though for one to become a politician is for that candidate or elected official to embrace the lie. To compromise, to sell the soul, or be willing to do so, to play the game, the political game. Politicians deceive. They will do or say virtually anything to get elected, and then again re-elected. So much of WE THE PEOPLE have come to expect that, and worse, accept that. We do our best to determine facts, and truth, and we make our decisions to vote so often on the basis of faulty facts, the best alternatives, knowing that trust, ultimate trust in the candidate, the person, the platform, the promises are anything but certain once that candidate gets in office, takes power, and becomes a member in good standing of the political class, a class of individuals better than us, entitled, and almost always without accountability. It is a sad day in America as we look at anything political.Nevertheless, now comes politics 2024, elections this November, federal state and local, which will determine the future of America. That future is not decades, or even years away. Change, and radical change is a present possibility, an immediate political dagger in the constitutional heart of WE THE PEOPLE. Our freedoms, our way of life, our constitutional guarantees, our very own Bill of Rights have never been more in danger. What is sad is that, even as these forces of evil, anti-democracy, totalitarian march on, we the people, the citizens, the voters seem unaware, even indifferent, falsely believing that nothing so aggressive, fundamental, and revolutionary could ever happen to our great country, our way of life, and the freedoms not only enjoy but take for granted. We are a citizenry naïve, unsuspecting, accommodating, intimidated, lied to, and ripe as never before to radical change and the end of our democratic way of life.Words and warnings seem to do little good. The indifference of WE THE PEOPLE, the lack of involvement, real sacrificial involvement, the toleration of the lie and flat out evil is incredibly alarming. We heed not the warning of founding father Benjamin Franklin that this republic, this democracy of America can only last:IF WE THE PEOPLE CAN KEEP IT!The sacrifice, the involvement, the constant attention to the political process and the holding of wrong-doers and unfaithful politicians accountable are demanding courses of action which we seem unwilling to take. America teeters on the brink not only of change, radical change, but even outright destruction when those who take power fully exercise that power and reveal who they really are, what they think, and what they intend for our beloved America.WE THE PEOPLE are much more responsible for commitment well beyond our vote. Our vote 2024 begins the journey. Then comes accountability, follow up, demand, contact, devoting a significant and meaningful portion of one's life to the protection of the freedoms and citizenship we now take for granted. Look at how many politicians have changed course once elected. They tell us they are evolving in their thinking (compromising), considering different points of view, developing new definitions of fairness, equity, and in fact, learning the full meaning of diversity, and equity, and inclusion so much of which means reversal of position, belief, standards and values, and the beginning of the:LIVING THE LIFE OF THE POLITICAL LIE.It is then that so much of America does nothing. It talks, complains, watches and listens to media, most of which is liberal-radical, and vows that things political in 2028 will be different. But the problem is that the America of 2028 will be radically changed from the America of 2024.These are not words of pessimism or despair only, but reality. They are words of challenge, asking all of us who care about America to stand up for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and to hold our elected officials, those who ask for our trust and confidence, to the very highest possible standards as they make critical decisions affecting our lives. Candidate Donald Trump already begins to change his beliefs, positions, and even former promises. Many believe that Trump is the only conservative alternative. But Trump has signaled that he is not the president he once was in 2016, so far without major change but having created enough of political and cultural differences which may be precursors of more aggressive position change to come. Watch what he says and does most carefully.Kamala Harris is a liberal, in many ways a radical liberal, woke, and already her fawning media begin the cover-up, the reinterpretation of her record as politician, and district attorney, and find ways to compensate for her total inexperience and perhaps considerable inabilities at the presidential level. The democrat lie has already begun and WE THE PEOPLE will be asked to vote for a largely recreated Harris. Whether Trump or Harris, or senate or house candidates, get ready for the lie, so much you will hear and see which is not the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But vote you must, for this election, like almost all others before it, is a vote for the better candidate, not necessarily the really right one or the best one.Truth is the truth, the whole truth, leaving nothing out, and nothing but the truth, adding nothing in. Politicians are masters in adding and subtracting fact and theory so as to make up their own version of the truth, anything which accomplishes their ultimate objectives. That is why, say so many political experts, American democracy is ultimately doomed. Will you let that happen? Will you let the forces of evil take over? Will you do what is necessary to protect, preserve, and defend this great country in which you are privileged to live, will you? President Thomas Jefferson said that the preservation of democracy requires the shedding of patriotic blood from time to time. I wonder if that time is now or coming soon. Millions have died protecting America, its democracy and freedoms and now may be the time for more.As you make incredibly important voting decisions for all of the elections 2024:WHAT PRICE ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY?

IT TAKES A LOT TO GET JEWS TO SHUN DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES, so says writer for the New York Post, Adam Brodsky.It does take a lot, for traditionally, most Jews vote democratic, so say the polls. But that is changing, changing more so every day and finally for the right reasons. Far too many democrats, and democratic candidates for office are anti-Israel and consequently, more or less, antisemitic. No matter what they say, their actions speak louder than words.So many today are pro-Palestinian, and consequently, anti-Israel, and as a result of that, anti-Jewish, antisemitic. The protestors demand that the United States not support Israel, not provide it with foreign aid, weapons, or justification, or defense of any kind. These protestors have no problem with present day Israel becoming the homeland of the Palestinians, even if Israelis are located or even extinguished. Jihadist radicals have no problem with that, and in fact, that may be their goal, for the motto is:EVERY JEW IN ISRAEL BURRIED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MEDITERRANEAN!Israel has a population of approximately 7,250,000 people, which is less than the population of New York City, and a good many of them are not Jewish, but Arab or otherwise. The land of Israel is 8,000 sq. miles. It is 263 miles from north to south, and 71 miles at the very widest part, and only 6.2 miles at the most narrow. Israel, all of it, is approximately the size of the state of New Jersey. By contrast, surrounding nations, mostly Arab and Muslim, are huge in size geographically and in terms of population, and include Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and not far away Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia among others. Strange it is that none of these countries want to welcome the so-called Palestinians and allow them access and living in their very own countries. The Arab hatred for Israel and the Jews is far more important than the wellbeing of the Palestinians, so it seems.Long ago, well before the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, himself of course a Jew, the God of scripture, THE GREAT GOD JEHOVAH, gave this land, this promised land to his chosen people and if you believe the Bible account of that land gift, said to Abraham, the father of the Jews:“I GIVE YOU THIS LAND FROM THE GREAT RIVER NILE OF EGYPT TO THE GREAT RIVER OF BABYLON, THE EUPHRATES.”Interestingly, Israel now occupies but a small part of that God-given gift. But the divine promise continues to exist and one day, in the providence of God, that land inheritance, all of it, will be fulfilled. If you believe the Bible and the promises made in the book of Genesis, Israel, THE PROMISED LAND, belongs to the Jews, to the descendants of Abraham, all of it.The world ignores October 7, 2023. That was the most horrible day for Jews and antisemitism since the holocaust. Hundreds of innocent Israelis, including women and children, were slaughtered by Hamas, jihadist radicals. It is only natural that for the first time in the lives of so many Jews, they feel nervous about America as a refuge. That fear is fueled by district attorneys, like Alvin Bragg in New York City, who do nothing, do not prosecute those who assault and physically attack Jews, political candidates almost all of whom are Democrats who rail against the Jews, and Israel, champion the protestors, and the insidious movement DEI (Divestiture, Equity and Inclusion) which, at its extreme, encourages antisemitism and hatred of the Jews characterizing them and all Israelis as oppressors and colonizers. It seems as though the radical jihadists, not only Muslims but so many other ignorant individuals, entities, institutions (colleges and others) to foster this hatred of Israel and the Jews. President Biden did nothing, other than a complete about face. When Israel was attacked by Hamas October 7, 2023, Biden aggressively told the world that he and our country would protect and defend Israel and the Jews. Just before his withdrawal as Democratic Presidential Candidate for 2024, Biden showed clearly that he had reversed that position completely, supplying additional arms and aid would be suspended or reduced and he will leave office with his famous quote:“THE PROTESTORS HAVE A POINT.”The holy day of the week for Muslims is Friday, and for the Jews Saturday, and for the Christians Sunday. Radical jihadists say the following:FIRST THE SATURDAY PEOPLE (THE JEWS), AND THEN THE SUNDAY PEOPLE (CHRISTIANS)!Our world, which now comprises more than 8 billion people, is comprised itself of 1.7 billion Muslims, and adherence to that religion seem to grow daily.Israel has always had a very special relationship with the United States. There are now some 2,500 US companies which do business with Israel in one form or another and employ some 72,000 Israelis according to the US Chamber of Commerce. This small nation of 7,250,000 people has the highest concentration of engineers, scientists, and technicians per capita and produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation in the world. The economic and commercial relationship between these two countries includes IT, biotech, life sciences, healthcare solutions, energy, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, defense industries, cyber security, and aviation just to name some. Even our own armed forces benefit greatly from Israel's innovativeeconomy with many critical military components invented by this industrious little nation. Again, Sunday Christians, never forget that Jesus of Nazareth was Jewish!Robert Knight, writer for the Washington Times, said the following:“THE RADICAL AMERCIAN LEFT HAS MADE COMMON CAUSE WITH THE ANTISEMITIC, PRO-HAMAS MOVEMENT.”Israel is the only functioning democratic republic in the Middle East, not without problems and difficulties to be sure, but the very best governmental structure in the entire Middle East and far better, more tolerant, and democratic than any other nation in that entire part of the world. Scripture requires that all who believe, all Christians, and all Jews, that the Great God Jehovah, will, as HE so plainly said, will bless those nations and individuals who bless Israel and the Jews, and conversely, curse those who persecute Israel and the Jews. Jerusalem is His holy sitting place. Israel, the land he gave to Abraham, and consequently, the rightful legal and religious heritage and inheritance of the Jewish people. That truism means that a whole lot of radical university professors, politicians, and protestors, and now an ever-growing number of businessmen and wealthy individuals will fall under the curse of Almighty God, a promise which should make them tremble in their boots.We are urged to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, peace for Israel, America, and the whole world. The great I AM intended Abraham and the Jews to be a blessing to all humankind and all nations, and our Lord and His special emissary, the Apostle Paul, hoped and prayed for grace, peace, and mercy for all humankind, and these promises, these hopes are the only thing which can end war, hatred, killings, and bring a love and understanding to all humankind. May each of us, Jew, Gentile, and all humankind do everything possible to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and our neighbors as ourselves, and hope and pray for the day when this DIVINE PEACE, the peace of Jerusalem and the world becomes a reality. The way this world is, and the ever growing anti-Judeo-Christian forces at work, we may have to wait until the second coming of our beloved Messiah, who perhaps, all alone, can be the only one to bring the promised:PEACE OF JERUSALEMto all of us, to all humankind.

IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!Those were the famous words of former president Bill Clinton when asked what the most important issue was in Presidential Election 1992.Clinton was right, at least about that one thing. Nothing works, everything breaks down if the economy doesn't work and it breaks down. And the American economy is breaking down, slowly but surely. When an economic crisis occurs, or a collapse occurs, no entity, no family, no individual can function normally, and everything breaks down and even grinds to a halt.Our scriptures tell us to:OWE NO MAN NOTHING!Nothing, that is, that cannot be repaid with current monies. But inflation, the insidious rising of prices, produces a lack of affordability which is even now affecting lower income Americans who cannot purchase, in some cases, even basic necessities. Inflation is the artificial rise of prices without necessarily economic justification. Inflation produces monetary crisis and virtually the end of free nations when it finally produces economic crisis. Said one economist:“THE NATIONAL DEBT CRISIS IS COMING!”And perhaps the beginning of that crisis is already here.No matter, our Federal Government continues to spend, more so every day, with impunity and without consequence. Higher prices occur from regulation, serious regulation. Because of that spending, higher taxes are necessary to raise the revenue needed to pay back debt, old and new.But, no matter, says our Federal Government, the Biden Administration, America will never run out of money because we will simply print more. The dollar is our currency, we control it, and if we need more money to pay debt, we can and we will make that happen. The result, of course, is even more inflation, less value to the dollar, and more dollars required to buy goods and services. That is inflation and debt run rampant. If we the people were STUPID (Bill Clinton), economically stupid, then our Federal Government is far more stupid as it incurs far more debt, caring little or nothing about repayment. The American debt which WE THE PEOPLE (not the government) owe is now at or about real dollars 35 trillion. That debt is projected to rise in the next decade to 55 trillion dollars which will mean that every American citizen will owe as much as $200,000 for debt repayment. The amount of the debt principal and interest is projected to rise to almost 130%, more than the gross domestic product (GDP) in its entirety. More dollars will be printed, inflation will continue to rise in rampant, uncontrollable ways, and prices of everything, EVERYTHING will rise to absolutely brutal and unaffordable levels. That debt will, as economist Gerald Seib so well said, will indeed:SINK THE AMERICAN EMPIRE.Economists warn us that Medicare and Social Security costs and obligations are simply totally out of control. They are now federal debt obligations, massive in size and growing every day. In the next decade, one out of five American citizens will be at retirement age, 65 or older, heavily if not entirely dependent upon Medicare and Social Security and both programs will in real economic terms be bankrupt, without reserve (all reserves have been spent by Congress) and in need of that new paper money which Congress can authorize and print which will raise prices, lifestyle costs, and the standard of living to totally unsustainable levels.Every individual and household will need to earn more money and depend even more so on Federal and State Governments for economic assistance. But, these economic conditions will actually result in even lower wages, not higher. Employment and the family will be in a state of total disruption and a certain chaos will reign. Unemployment in America, like in 1929 and the Great Depression, will be at an all-time high.Credit ratings will be worse than ever. Individuals will find it virtually impossible to borrow and credit cards will become obsolete or unusable. There will be, says Seib, massive defaults in mortgages, investments, even such items as automobiles and other kinds of lesser financing now taken for granted. Buying on credit will be almost impossible.In this coming economic crisis, so many economists say, there will be higher interest rates for everything, not only higher but absolutely unaffordable. There was a time once in the American economy, some 30 years ago, when interest rates rose to almost 20%, but even that ridiculously high interest rate will be far exceeded, say these economists, when the new and perhaps final American debt crisis arises. And again, the only solution will be some cut-back in spending, especially with social programs, including defense and education, the printing of more, cheap, and meaningless money to pay debt, or the insolvency and bankruptcy of virtually everything. These conditions, say these economists, are not scare-tactics, predicted by naysayers, but have already started, and they will become the new reality, THE NEW NORMAL!Our Federal Government will default on virtually every obligation, every debt and payment it must make. The dollar, now the standard for much of the world's currency and economic foundation, will be greatly devalued, if not meaningless. We will in factdefault to nations like China who control so much of the American debt, unless we can persuade other nations to refinance, accept payments in wildly inflated American currency, or simply endure the nonpayment and further endure the world chaos that will cause. That will be the end of the American nation, like it was with Rome of old, and France in the late 1700's, and Germany in the 1930's, a Germany which eventually produced such civil and economic chaos and unrest, the maniac Hitler, the dictator and world destroyer, was the ultimate outcome. They predict, these economists do, that there will be civil unrest, revolution like never before, chaos and total disruption of lifestyle, and the end of everything, THE END! All or some of that may occur even as soon as the next decade, so they predict.It seems as though WE THE PEOPLE care little. We seem to do nothing. Unless any or all of these conditions directly affect us, we the People, our families and lifestyles, we seem to do little but talk, vote the best way we can, but watch as our great country sinks every day deeper and deeper in debt. Trump says no new taxes, but they may be necessary to correct the borrowing-spending habits of past governments. Biden says new taxes and especially taxes on the wealthy. Neither approach is the answer. The only answer is to stop spending, cut spending, endure hardships in many areas of our governmental support and do it now or eventually there will be no such support.Wake up Americans, WAKE UP! No matter who you are, Christian, conservative, atheist, liberal, woke, even anti-American as it now is:WAKE UP!Face the realities of this here and now, and coming like a hurricane, economic crisis, which indeed will SINK THE AMERICAN EMPIRE. No matter how we live or how busy we are, we better work now, all of us, to solve these problems or it will be the absolute end of our beloved America. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin told us that we had, as far back as 1776, a new republic, a way of life like nothing else in the world or in history, a new republic:IF WE CAN KEEP IT!We now do one terrible economic job in keeping that republic, and the way things are, we will in fact lose it. Perhaps we have one last chance in the next several years to save it, to keep it. But, that depends on:YOU.Are you willing to do what is required to save America, are you willing to sacrifice, at least to some extent, will you do what is right and necessary in order to save this beloved country and the lifestyle you enjoy, are you so willing?NOW OR NEVER!

OWE NO MAN NOTHING!So says the scripture. Good advice, not only spiritual wisdom, but secular as well. Debt, unrepayable, with its pressure and tension, ruins everyone and everything.That makes reference to debt which cannot be repaid in the normal course of business or living. Tens of millions would never own a home, or a car, or be able to afford the extreme cost of education today unless reasonable financing was accomplished. Scripture means don't incur debt you can't repay in the normal course of living and in the present.But, my fellow Americans, we have a debt which we know little about, and which only increases daily, and which cannot be repaid in the normal course of living. That debt is the American Federal Government debt which now exceeds the unfathomable sum of, are you ready for this:$35 TRILLION DOLLARS.Not millions, not even billions, but now TRILLIONS of debt dollars, owed by Uncle Sam, that is by:YOU AND ME.That means, says one economist and accountant, that you and I, American citizens who elect and foster the decision making of this federal government owe the unbelievable sum of, are you ready for this:$100 THOUSAND DOLLARS.$100,000! And if we think that is a problem, that number only increases daily, hourly, for this DEMOCRAT GOVERNMENT, the Biden Administration, just loves to spend your and my money and of course without ever asking.Biden Administration officials now spend and increase this American debt number by:ONE TRILLION DOLLARS EVERY ONE HUNDRED DAYS.That, my fellow Americans, my freedom-loving, freedom-from-debt-loving Americans, is an absolutely staggering financial fact and it is absolutely stunning that such a debt, this unbelievably high number is accepted, if it is even understood, by you and me. WHY?And another absolutely stunning fact. WE THE PEOPLE must now pay one trillion dollars per year, ONE TRILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR just for interest alone on that debt. ONE TRILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR JUST FOR INTEREST ALONE AND THAT NUMBER GROWS EVERY DAY! That interest payment alone is more than we spend as a nation on DEFENSE. It is more than we spend on the ever-declining American infrastructure. One Trillion Dollars in interest is more than WE THE PEOPLE spend on Education and more than we spend on poverty programs. It is the worst kind of debt, really unpayable unless there are mammoth and massive new taxes put in place, and the world at large comes calling for the repayment of that debt, demanding that each American citizen pay the one hundred thousand dollars each would owe if the debt were to be repaid. How in the world did we the people ever let our country, our profligate Federal Government ever get to this point, HOW?President Bill Clinton knew that we had to deal with this big long-term debt problem, but he and his administration did nothing about it. President Barack Hussein Obama knew such fiscal policy was “irresponsible” but did nothing about it. President Donald J. Trump said we've got to get rid of this long-term American debt, but he as well did nothing about it. Then comes President Joe Biden, a man given to the lie whenever expedient, and he tells the American people one of the largest lies he has ever told:“WE LITERALLY CUT THE FEDERAL DEBT IN HALF.”And no one, especially his supporters, liberal, woke, radical media cohorts ever challenged one of the greatest and largest lies ever told by any American President. Not only was the American budget not cut in half, but it was and is increased by one trillion dollars every one hundred days, President Biden! We Americans don't need nuclear warfare with Russia or China or any other nation to destroy us, we have become expert at:SELF DESTRUCTION – FINANCIAL SELF DESTRUCTION!Small wonder we have had the inflation problems so recently experienced, in the last four Biden years, where the prices of everything have risen dramatically. We are on the verge as a country, of what is known as hyperinflation, an economy out of control, and a nation virtually bankrupt. It was that very hyperinflation which destroyed Germany, the German economy after World War I and produced perhaps the most evil man in all of human history, Adolf Hitler as dictator, promising to solve the hyperinflation problem and restore Germany to its former greatness. Many think there is some possibility that such a thing could happen in America at some time in the future, the end of course of our great nation and our even greater democracy.No problem says Biden. We will just tax the rich, the wealthy even more. We will get what we need to manage the debt in the present (not reduce it) from the American rich. That of course, as Biden and his cronies well know, is an absolute impossibility. The Federal Government could confiscate all the wealth, all the assets held by the wealthiest Americans, whoever they are and however many of them there are, and this profligate American debt would never, ever be extinguished or repaid. We are, my fellow Americans, a nation painfully out of financial control and you and I, YOU AND I, are responsible for letting that happen.In ten short years, or realistically even sooner, the debt held by the American public will reach the staggering sum of:$50 TRILLION DOLLARS.If so, that staggering number would represent 136%, 136% of the entire American economy. Our nation would be beyond hyperinflation and would be utterly destroyed financially. Why, my fellow Americans, do our elected officials, our politicians with their heads in the sand, never acknowledge or deal with these problems, why?This ever increasing debt produces ever increasing interest payment demands, and the payment of interest alone will be one of the most destructive factors ever in the American economy. This profligate Federal Government (Biden) spending will destroy our country, utterly destroy it. Our elected officials, our politicians do not seem to really view these critical and crucial financial matters as real problems, and it matters not whether the politician is Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, or whatever. NO ELECTED WASHINGTON-FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL HAS THE COURAGE TO DEAL WITH THE GREATEST PROBLEM AMERICA HAS EVER FACED!WE THE PEOPLE know that and we do nothing about it, NOTHING! WHY?America, the republic, the democracy, is on a path to self-destruct. It will soon be another post-World War I Germany, where hyperinflation destroys the lives, the lifestyle, and the economy of millions upon millions of people. But it seems as though WE THE PEOPLE remain indifferent. We do nothing. We lack courage or demand. We elect and forget. We vote every four years or sooner, and get back to the good life, all the while our beloved America is economically destroyed. Like Nero of old, he fiddles on a balcony while Rome burns, while Rome is destroyed. We just simply don't seem to care. God help our children and grandchildren, and those young yet to come, for them there will be no America, no nation even close to what we know and in which we have lived.Instead of owing no man or anyone nothing, WE THE PEOPLE will owe everything we have and that debt will be the end of everything.

I had three uncles who were Methodist ministers. They so very faithfully served parishes in the state of New Jersey.They were men who were strong Christians, biblical Christians, born-again Christians, and they were proud to be Methodists when the United Methodist Church was a biblical church to be proud of.But, like other old line protestant denominations, the UNITED METHODIST CHURCH has gone its own way, departed from the biblical way and brought its own man-made interpretation to scripture and the Christian view, succumbing to the pressure of current culture rather than the scriptural love, admonition, and standards of the Christ.The United Methodist Church General Conference voted overwhelmingly in May to disavow the once clear ban on clergy who are “self-avowed practicing homosexuals.” Such individuals can now be ordained and become full ministers in the Methodist Church. In addition, individual UMC churches can now decide whether or not to conduct and ordain gay marriages (weddings).Prior to this new and radical vote, the UNITED METHODIST CHURCH authorized any individual Methodist church to depart from the denomination and become independent. ALMOST EIGHT THOUSAND METHODIST CHURCHES DID SO, Bible believing, real Christians and real Christianity at the core, unwilling to abide by these new woke, current-culture changes.That led one critic to state:“The General Conference has as expected rolled back not just decades of United Methodist policies, but centuries of Christian teaching.”This critic, Mark Tooley, said further:“Liberal theology and politics displaced orthodox doctrine, evangelism, and exacting spiritual standards.”Founder of the real Methodists, John Wesley, would turn over in his grave!One of the nation's largest protestant religious denominations has gone woke, has gone rogue, and once with more than 5 million members, is now a shell of its former self. When this matter came up for vote, you could say that some 8 thousand congregations, hundreds of thousands of real Christians, voted with their “feet and wallets.” To practice real Methodism, real Christianity, and real biblical teachings. Liberal, woke, protestant denominations continue to do what they have always done, adding a pious blessing and an air of divine sanction to the cultural politics of the day no matter how far left those politics moved. They followed the sexual revolution of the times, they supported abortion, and homosexuality, and transgenderism, all in the name of current and compromised “divine love.”Now, the United Methodist Church no longer believes that marriage is an inclusive and sacred union between one adult man and one adult woman. Man can marry man, and woman can marry woman. That man-made decision is of course absolutely contrary to biblical teaching and the tradition of the UMC for more than 3 centuries.Interestingly, in 1970, only some 50 years ago, THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH claimed the following:“We do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider it incompatible with Christian teaching.”And in 1984, the following:“Therefore, self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in the United Methodist Church.”Forty years ago, the UMC believed, followed, proclaimed, and operated by biblical teachings and standards. Somehow, false teachers, as the Apostle Paul would say, took over, gained control, and corrupted THE WORD OF GOD, reinterpreted that and destroyed, overnight, Christian practice and belief. My three born-again uncles, once proud Methodist ministers, would turn over in their graves.The Apostle Paul was incensed at such arrogant, prideful, manmade false teaching, and he warned all to stay away from them, have nothing to do with them, and in fact, said of them:“Let them be accursed!”What a sad day. Under the great Constitution of America, and the immutable First Amendment, there is absolute freedom of religion, where any American citizen can believe what he or she wishes, and worship as they will. They can adopt any belief, see and understand God as they desire, and worship as they please or not at all. Our constitution allows no man, no government to in any way forbid any human being from worshipping as they please, establishing any religion they wish, no matter whether true or factually based. That freedom is absolute, unconditional, and cannot be abridged by any government authority. THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH can posture any set of beliefs they wish and no one, not even their very own congregations can prevent that from happening.HOWEVER, it is absolutely untrue, the highest form of falsehood, for the UMC to declare it still remains fully Chrisitan. The UMC cannot declare itself a Christian denomination, following Christian practices, for their conduct clearly indicates they are anything but. They are now some sort of a church man-made, operating as men think, not as the Bible instructs, and surely without the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The false teaching which the Apostle Paul feared so very much has not only crept into this church, but become dominant in its thinking, belief, and practice. A small wonder 8,000 congregations left, openly refusing to follow this man-made gospel.I have from time to time visited the state of New Jersey, travelled through its small towns and large cities. I have seen again as I did years ago, the great churches and strong edifices built by the Methodists to honor our Lord Jesus Christ. Some are absolutely magnificent, wonderful tributes to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I spent time as a young boy with my uncles and aunts in their parishes and worshipping with them in their real and biblical Methodist churches. I remember those real, biblical, Christ-loving experiences in New Jersey towns like Woodstown, Pleasantville, Salem, Haddonfield, Ocean City, and more. My Methodist uncles and the strong church ministries they established and fostered taught me so much about the Lord Jesus Christ. Their experiences with Him and consequently mine were real, wonderful, and loving. I learned so much about my Lord through their preaching and the strong, loving bible teaching of my aunts. Methodism, real and biblical, real Christian Methodism, was an indispensable part of my life and still is. You can well imagine how sad it is for me to see the compromise, the corruption, and departure of this once great church from real, true, biblical, Christ-filled Christianity.But I thank you, thank you with all my heart, Revs. Bill Duvall, Bruce Duvall, Tom Eden, and my beloved aunts, Mildred, Jo, and Esther for the real Methodist teachings of our beloved Bible and the love of Christ. You made Him real to me and I am forever indebted.Both magnificent New Jersey churches, once filled with the love of Jesus Christ, now seem empty, hollow, devoid of real spirituality. But I, and so many others I am sure, will always remember what they once were, the message in word and song, which echoed through those magnificent cathedrals, and the real Christian men and women who once made Methodism a dynamic and passionate Christian witness.THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH is now the DIVIDED METHODIST CHURCH, splintered, broken, compromised, a spiritual shell of its former self. Perhaps the message should be to those who remain:“COME YE APART AND BE YE SEPARATE!”

FREEDOM!We are, America is, the home, the land of the:BRAVE AND THE FREE.We are lovers of freedom. It is, you could say, in our genes. We inherited that love of freedom from those who founded our great country, fought against the oppressors more than two centuries ago and built the foundation for the FREEDOMS we now enjoy today. Give us, we say with that great statesman and our forefather Patrick Henry, give us that LIBERTY or if that is taken away, give us death for there is no real life without freedom.For us, America is in fact exceptional no matter the indifferent attitude of Barack Hussein Obama who thinks that America is no more exceptional than any other country! But all of America and we the people are exceptional in so many ways, including our way of life and our lifestyle. Everything is okay down to the last sentence and raise and champion our great flag, and wear the American flag pin proudly, especially in the world of academia which thinks the American flag is a symbol for racism and xenophobia rather than exceptionalism.And now, we should take quality time to honor the founding documents which make us great, namely our Constitution, our Bill of Rights and our Declaration of Independence. We should honor these incredible documents by reading them, studying their content, understanding the values therein and resolving as the authors of these documents did, and honor our forefathers who provided them for us recommitting to them and the world at large that we the people will protect and preserve the freedoms contained therein, even to the laying down of our lives.In this day, there are so many who would CHANGE what we have, or even more radically so, eliminate it. There seems to be an ever-growing number of those in our very own country with little or no respect for our great founding documents, our freedoms, the principles by which we have lived and built THE GREAT SOCIETY, and especially what America has been, our glorious history. They the un-Americans wish to eliminate or erode so many of our freedoms and move this great country toward socialism. THEY are the enemy inside and they must be stopped. We the people, true Constitutional Americans energized and emboldened by our founding documents and founding fathers must make certain we do what is right for our great country, and as true patriots, protect and defend our freedoms as never before. We should do everything humanly possible to prevent socialism of any kind in thought or deed.We should remember the words of that great statesman, a founding father himself, Benjamin Franklin, who said, when asked, that he and his fellow revolutionaries have given us, Americans then and now, a Republic. Not a Democracy, but a Republic. Franklin went on to warn us then and now that this Republic was FRAGILE, and needed at all times to be protected with vigilance, vigor and valor. That this Republic of the combined United States could never be taken for granted. Nor could any citizen assume it would go on, and on. For freedom, for Franklin and the fathers, was a precious right that could only be sustained by watchful, involved and proactive citizens. We who would live in this free country and enjoy its immense freedoms must at all times be:WATCHMEN AND WOMEN ON THE WALLSNot talk, debate or discussion, but action, actively working to protect our freedoms and our way of life, willing to die in the fray if necessary. Would you be willing to die, to lay all on the altar in the cause of freedom? What would you do if ISIS or jihadists attacked America and threatened harm to your family and you? What would you do? Our forefathers never gave the matter a second thought. They, in Second Amendment fashion, took up arms to defend their country, their freedoms and their family. Would you?In fact, we AMERICANS should be so proud of our country, and our freedoms, that we as a nation are ready at all times to help others in the cause of freedom. We gave the lives of millions of young American men and women to others in the cause of freedom. Witness World War II. One Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman 83 years young arrived in Paris by airplane. At French customs, it took him several minutes to locate his passport. The Customs Officer with sarcasm and disdain asked Mr. Whiting:“You have been to France before, Monsieur?”Mr. Whiting answered, yes he had and the smart aleck French official replied pompously:“Then you should know enough to have your passport ready!”Mr. Whiting then stared this official in the eye and said the following:“The last time I was here I didn't have to show my passport.”To which the French Customs Official replied:“Impossible! Americans always have to show passports on arrival in France!”Mr. Whiting gave this arrogant Frenchman a long hard look and he proudly stated:“Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchman to show a passport to!”You could have heard a pin drop. God bless America and God bless Mr. Whiting.And yet another instance of a proud American at work. When in England at a fairly large conference, Secretary of State Colin Powell was asked by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury if America's plans for Iraq were simply a rationalization for empire building or land-grabbing by George Bush as American soldiers went to war. Powell simply answered by saying:“Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those who did not return.”All attending that conference were deadly silent. Well said, Mr. Powell, well said as a proud American.There was once a conference in France when a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. One of the French engineers said the following:“Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?”Those in attendance snickered and jeered. That is, until an engineer from the Boeing company in America stood up and proudly stated:“Our aircraft carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people. They are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities. They have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day. They can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day. They carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and the injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such aircraft carriers. How many does France have?”You could have heard a pin drop.And again, a U.S. Naval Admiral was attending a naval conference that included admirals from the united states, England, Canada, Australia and France. Every one in attendance was conversing in English. Suddenly a French Admiral complained the Europeans learn many languages but Americans learn only English. This French Admiral arrogantly and pompously said:“Why is that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?”The American United States Naval Admiral stood up proudly and replied:“Maybe it is because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so that you would not have to speak German!”The room was deadly silent.So, whether here at home or anywhere abroad, anywhere in the world, it is our privilege, our duty, our passion to protect FREEDOM at every turn. That freedom means for us and all in the world the fundamental rights, the God-given rights to:LIFELIBERTYTHE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESSIt is our right to live life free, with maximum freedom. It is our right to live and champion liberty everywhere. And, it is our right to pursue happiness as we define that, as free individuals, to pursue life legally and lovingly as we choose. May it always be so, but it only can be if we are willing to do anything possible to protect those freedoms. ANYTHING! Are you?So now, this Independence week, culminating in the great day July 4, Independence Day, we should honor America, this great country in which we are privileged to live. We should honor all things American and we should honor our flag as a symbol of who we are and what we believe. There are those who would desecrate or cause to be irrelevant the great stars and stripes. There was the action of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) which banned the wearing of the American flag as a lapel pin or otherwise in clothing because the flag in their view was controversial and represented the causes of certain conservatives. How tragic, how ridiculous, how un-American the actions of the American Broadcasting Company. There are times when our President, our Congress, our leading citizens simply do not wear or honor the flag or any other symbol of all great things American. We the people should find all such conduct unacceptable and we should protest. The greatest form of protest is to protect, preserve and defend our freedoms and the symbol of those freedoms, the great American flag, the perfect symbol of our independence and the finest possible expression of freedom on the great day July 4, Independence Day. Do just that loudly and proudly my fellow citizens.Think carefully, my fellow Americans, about the precious freedoms granted by your Constitution and your Bill of Rights. Remember that you are guaranteed the right to freedom of religion, to worship and practice religion as you please. You are guaranteed the right to free speech, to speak as you wish at anytime, anywhere, with any words. You are guaranteed the right to freely assemble, to petition, to print in press or on the Internet. YOU ARE GUARANTEED THOSE RIGHTS! You are guaranteed the right to bear arms, to purchase, own and use them for pleasure or in self-defense. You are guaranteed the right against governmental illegal search and seizure. You are guaranteed the right a trial by a jury of your peers rather than to be summarily convicted by any governmental agency. You are guaranteed the right to counsel if you can not afford one when charged with a crime. You are guaranteed the right to vote.You are guaranteed to pursue life, liberty and happiness as you wish! You are guaranteed by your Constitution and Bill of Rights the highest and best form of living and lifestyle the world has ever known! You should give thanks for America, for all that it was, is and can be in the future if YOU as Benjamin Franklin so well said standup and do everything possible to KEEP IT that is the great experiment in freedom which our founding fathers intended. Please join with me this Independence Week, this Freedom Week and especially on the set-aside day for freedom celebration, namely July 4 in pledging once again our allegiance to this great country. Please join me in these great words which honor America:I pledge allegianceto the Flagof the United States of Americaand to the Republic for which it standsone nationindivisiblewith liberty and justicefor all!I ask humbly and lovingly that GOD BLESS AMERICA.And I ask humbly as well that GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!There is only one America. Keep it that way!

In Revolutionary times, Thomas Paine said the following:“These are the times that try men's souls”.And indeed these are the times that try women's souls, some at least now that the United States Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade.Thomas Jefferson admonished Americans of his time that the blood of patriots must be shed from time to time in order to refresh the Tree of Liberty. In short, the Constitutional America of 1776 (Declaration of Independence) and the Constitutional America of 1787 needed new patriots, new passion, new commitments to liberty and freedom. Now more than ever that is true. The constitutional, rule of law, freedom–liberty America of old is not only under attack but becomes divided, angry and more violent by the day. Freedom and liberty we have always taken for granted are now all the more at risk and at stake.The patriot Patrick Henry provided a testimony applicable to all of us:“Give me liberty or give me death”.Henry was willing to die for freedom. He would live under no form of bondage. Oppression and bondage in his time was English. Today it comes internally from anarchists, that small virulent, violent minority which wishes the destruction of the greatest country on earth.Our forefathers fought for freedom. They gave their blood then which we can assume made Jefferson proud. They gave us the greatest ruling document in the history of mankind, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. That incredible document contained the First Amendment which gave every American citizen the following rights and freedoms:1.Freedom of religion2.Freedom of speech3.Freedom of press4.Freedom of assembly5.Freedom of petitionGuaranteed, unconditional, unchanging, FOREVER FREEDOMS. Every one of those sacred, inalienable (God–given) rights and freedoms are at risk today, EVERY ONE! We the People seemed to have lost our vision, our understanding, even in some cases our desire to protect and preserve this incredible country. We have become indifferent to the struggles and problems we face. So many of us are ignorant of our history, and our Constitution, and our rule of law, and how we are governed. So many of us have withdrawn from the political process. As few as 10% will vote in some elections and perhaps no more than 60% of eligible, voting Americans will go to the polls in the most serious of elections. It has become tragic how We the People take democracy for granted. It is as though freedom will always be there no matter what we do. We the People are an easy target for violence and anarchism.One of the most anti–American Americans was one Saul Alinsky. In essence, Alinsky championed the destruction of everything, every institution, every tradition, anything and everything in America so that the country could be rebuilt and reestablished. The philosophy and beliefs of Alinksy were adopted by George Soros among others and the state of objective of Soros and others was to:BRING DOWN AMERICA.Bring it down. Destroy it. Rewrite its history. Do away with its Constitution and its rule of law. Get rid of the moral standards of the country today and especially the Judeo–Christian heritage and morality of the past. Do away with it completely! Beneath the violence, disrupt, and the lack of accountability today is this Alinsky model, the destruction of America, the destruction of everything which America holds dear. WOKE better serve to wake up America, defend itself, its values, morality and principles or all will be lost. WAKE UP AMERICANS, WAKE UP. The time may be near when the blood of real patriots will be required once again in America.We the People assume that we live in a democracy. We live by democratic principles, the core of which is freedom. That is true but our government is not a democracy. Our forefathers who forged our Constitution were suspicious of democracy. They feared an intolerant majority. They created checks and balances which would prevent as much as possible the potentially crushing majority rule. They created for us a REPUBLIC. That of course consisted of a president, senate and house of representatives. It also consisted of an independent federal judiciary with the Supreme Court of essentially nine justices as final arbitrators of the rule of law. Such a republic respected democratic principles but it guarded so very well against abuse.Those founding fathers gave us the concept of federalism. That is, that each of the individual states of America, then 13 and now 50, would be protected, have rights not specifically granted to the federal government (Constitution Amendment X), and otherwise make certain that its people were protected, and larger states would have no real advantage over smaller ones. It was and continues to be a brilliant system and check and balance.The founding fathers gave us an electoral college where leaders were not elected by majority vote but by states according to their population.They gave us the rule of law, they gave us the Declaration of Independence, they gave us the Constitution, incredible documents with incredible freedoms, fully protected. They gave us all of this as a result of the blood of so many Revolutionary patriots shed in the cause of freedom. How tragic it is that we sit back and take those then given freedoms for granted, watch them whittle away daily, observe the indifference among younger generations and the beginning of the erosion and eventually the elimination of our great Country, its way of life and government. The great destroyers win, Alinsky, Soros, Sanders the socialist. They refuse, those anarchists and anti–Americans to work within the system for reform. They work for radical change and ultimate destruction. And, We the People sit back and watch it happen and in so many ways do nothing. Violence is everywhere. There are threats, intimidation, radicalism everywhere. A senator threatens a supreme court justice. Senator Schumer from New York threatened Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh as follows:You will pay the price.It is simply unbelievable how seemingly everything America stands for, believes in, the fundamental structure of our great Country is not only under attack but is being destroyed day by day. History shows us that democracies as the foundation of government cannot last. Democracies in history last at or about 200 years. America is now 246 years young and We the People, our democracy, our great constitutional republic may be near the end. How I for one hope and pray that simply does not happen.The Constitution and its Amendments of the United States is the finest document, political governing document which mankind can produce. But it cannot last forever. Only one document can. And that is THE WORD OF THE LORD, the Holy Bible which gives us the world's only reliable ABSOLUTE TRUTH. The Constitution gives us the freedoms of mankind. The Bible gives us heavenly freedoms, eternal freedoms, the ways of the Lord God Almighty, the most important freedom of all and the most important freedom of all, salvation in Jesus Christ. Man's democracy cannot last, but the democracy of peace and love of Jesus Christ will last forever.Human leaders, people, men and women, politicians and those in power can never last. The only person, leader, visionary, difference maker who can is Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of Glory. That eternal leader will never fail.So, now in America violence reigns. Everything is under attack. The spiritual warfare has begun. The:FIGHT OF FAITH IS HERE AND NOW!So, my fellow Americans, my fellow Christians, how will you fight this fight of faith? HOW? Put on for sure the armor of the Lord. And the helmet of salvation. And the breastplate of righteousness and be ready for the spiritual war. It is here, IT IS HERE. You will be called upon to defend your faith with everything you have. If you truly believe as a Christian and you will not compromise, you will take on a danger you never have before.How will you respond? Will you stand up to violence? Would you use any means at your disposal to protect your family, your friends and yourself from violence? You will engage in prayer, more prayer perhaps than ever before. But you will be called upon to ACT, and perhaps act returning violence for violence. Would you do that? We the People, we Christians have choices to make we never have before. In prayer, may our Lord lead us to the right decisions for God, and Country, and family, and all humankind.Freedom, inalienable rights, God–given rights, are of the most value, the most important to all. Don't lose them or lose life in the process. May God bless you, my fellow Americans as you energize the courage to stand for Christ, for Christianity and for the greatest Country in the history of mankind.Always remember. FREEDOM ONCE LOST IS LOST FOREVER!

It is becoming difficult to know what a man is, that is the definition of a real man in this woke society of ours.The definition of a man seems to change. Once a man, by both biblical and secular-societal definitions was clear, in biblical terms created by the great G-d Jehovah, the great I AM to be like him, to be the ruler of the planet and to be head of all things. That included Eve, with the creation of the first man's helpmeet, and the family, the children to follow. Sadly, no more.The definition of a real man has changed and is constantly in the process of change. HOMO SAPIENS can now be gay, that is homosexual; bisexual, that is having genetic desires for both man and woman; transgender, a man wishing to become a woman (i.e. Bruce Jenner); or simply queer, whatever that means (LGBTQ); or perhaps even intersexual, alternative or anything else which eviscerates the definition of a man, A REAL MAN.It is just a tragedy what has happened to God's first man and all men. We the men, the creation, are no longer like HIM, the great creator.A real man, like a real woman, is called by God and that calling is clear, and a matter of priority. That real man is called upon to be strong, not only in body, physically, but in mind, will, spirit and soul. That real man is possessed of a body which is THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, and the physical body of a real man should be honored, respected, cared for, and kept in the finest physical shape possible as the housing of the triumvirate HOLY SPIRIT.So, the real man, while like our Lord, may enjoy the fruit of the grape, the wine which Jesus drank, should never be drunken. Drinking to excess is the ruination of the Temple of the Holy Spirit. No real man can function mentally or spiritually under the influence of drugs or alcohol.The real man respects his body, and especially his sexuality, and will not be given to adultery, lascivious living, and fully respects marital intimacy.The real man constantly strives to learn, educate himself, and in all things, ask for the wisdom for decision making which only God can give. If that man really asks with all his heart, God, pure wisdom, will give that wisdom to that man.That real man is strong spiritually, learned in the Bible, studying and teaching, always growing in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. That is the only way that man can be a real father and train up his children in the way in which they should go, the way of the Lord.That real man is politically active, rendering under Caesar oversight, involvement, constructive criticism, and a demand for morality, truth, respect and honesty in all political decisions made. The real man is a watchdog, a watchman on the wall, making certain that Caesar functions in the way that Caesar should.The real man discharges his duties as HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD. That notion has become most unpopular today. Far too many men abandon their responsibilities, leaving that critical household responsibility to the wife, or others by default, often to the ruination of the family.The real man loves his wife, and children, really loves her and the relationships, the marriage and the fathering really work. The real wife, and woman, really respects her husband as the Apostle Paul says, and she can only do that if he really loves her.If the real man is privileged to have a real family, then that man, husband, father, and friend, spends time, quality time, consistent regular and respectful, with every member of that household, lovingly together, and respectfully individually. That man is involved with their training, their growth intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually, and really enjoys the opportunity, the privilege to build relationships with every member of his family-friend circle which God has allowed him to have.The real man doesn't lie. Truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, transparency in all things is not only necessary but a way of life. When relationships are intimate, all know and easily sense hypocrisy, the phony, and most certainly the lie of any kind. No relationship can be sustained without trust built on truth.The real man, with the support of the real wife-woman, never fails to discipline. That discipline is not physical, but confrontational, always ready to say no when necessary. The governance of the household is the joint responsibility of the real man and the real woman, and the right rules and regulations must be followed. In that regard, that real man and woman must be examples, living examples, of the rules, the lifestyle, the values they insist upon.In the search for strength and wisdom, every real man, and woman, must spend QUIET TIME, time in prayer, meditation, thoughtful evaluation, and in the study of scripture and in constant communion with their maker, their God. No matter the demands of anything else, that quiet time is an absolute priority, cannot be avoided, and must be practiced on a regular, surely daily basis.Today more than ever, it is really difficult to be a real man or woman. The morality, the values, the standards, the definitions of old are constantly challenged, belittled, changed, and disrespected. But no man can ever be fulfilled, live the life with the full potential he has, leave so much behind unless, with courage, the constant will to be all that he can be, he is prepared to meet the challenges of this world, this society, and the GOD AND FATHER who created him. It is far too easy to compromise, give up, or succumb to the pleasures, lusts, and daily distractions of the flesh. We, who recently celebrated Father's Day, should count it a privilege to be a man, a real man, a spiritual man, and to never let anyone or anything distract us from that sacred calling and even our reasons for existence. What a privilege and pleasure it is to be a real man, A REAL BIOLOGICAL MAN. To be so, that requires work every day, diligence, growth, prayer, learning, never, ever afraid to admit wrong, to apologize, to shed a tear, to show love, and respect, knowing there is nothing in life, NOTHING which begins to equal the responsibility, the privilege of being:A REAL MAN.

Two kinds of fathers are there.The one Heavenly, the other earthly.The Lord of Glory, the Carpenter of Nazareth said:“I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE.”What a claim. Blasphemy by a human being if it were not true. But they were ONE, and the carpenter from Nazareth told us in unequivocal terms that the CREATOR OF THIS UNIVERSE AND OUR EARTH was indeed among so many other things a:FATHERTo Him and to us. For otherwise, this Creator would be completely unknown, incapable of being known by us, but HE is. And, the Supreme Creator loves us and cares for us. To me that is a thought incomprehensible were it not for:HIMOur Lord Jesus Christ took something remote, obscure and unfathomable and made it known, personal, deeply meaningful and loving so that we, the creatures of His creation, could understand who we are, why we are, and what we should believe.We are to understand and believe said Jesus, that there is for us an ETERNAL FATHER and not merely a cosmic Creator. We are known as individuals, as sons and daughters by this Father, and we are not mere specks in the universe or dust in the wind. We have meaning. We are in fact SONS AND DAUGHTERS of this Father having claimed our inheritance as such through the SON Jesus Christ. Hard to comprehend but true.We are also told that God the Father is love. GOD IS LOVE, and that love is the essence of God and so available to us. Love is the greatest says the Scriptures, more so than faith and hope, and to know that God is love incarnate is just incredible.And we who are fathers should love the very same way. Even as the eternal Father loves us, so should we love our children. If a Heavenly Father loves unconditionally, so an earthly father should do the same, love the child unconditionally. The highest attributes of any earthly father are the embracing, heartfelt and unconditional loving openness to the child even as the Father loves the child:LOVE NEVER FAILSBut there is another side of love from our Heavenly Father, a TOUGH LOVE. That is, love at work which is ready to:DISCIPLINELove may indeed be meek, warm, gentle and forgiving, kind and open and it should be. But love must also be tough, demanding, disciplined and concerned for all things which are:RIGHTFor there are indeed prodigal sons and daughters who go astray. As such, they honor not the Heavenly Father nor the earthly. Discipline is required, firm and straight. The rod was used in the old days to accomplish discipline and to carryout punishment. But that has been taken away. Discipline today is more on the order of depriving the child of opportunities and pleasures or requiring the child to make up for the wrong and do what is right. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. But fathers can not SPARE THE ROD however the rod is determined for that is a fatherly duty. No child can grow without discipline for there is nothing worse for a father than a child spoiled and bent upon his own way. Demanding standards, the terms and conditions of sonship, are a father's duty which can not be delegated or ignored. And the Scriptures make it perfectly clear:WHOM THE FATHER LOVES HE CHASTENSChastening is real love at work. BY THEIR FRUITS, LOVING DISCIPLINE AT WORK, YE SHALL KNOW THE FATHER AND WHO THE FATHER TRULY IS.The integrity of the father is critical. Dads must do what they say and dads must say what they mean. The father must live by the same standards he requires of the child. The father must be consistent in character, live a life with values and without hypocrisy. Nothing is harder for a child to accept than lectures about right and wrong from a father who lives by neither. So that, a father does not have to explain or justify the demands. The father does not have to negotiate with the child and in the course of discipline ask the child if it is OK.For it matters not if the child agrees with the father. If a child respects a loving father, that is all that is required. So many families seem to have so little respect for each other and rapidly become dysfunctional. But a true father, a real father is head of household. He is the one in charge, so say the Scriptures, kind, loving, considerate and respectful of all including and especially the wife-mother, but head of the household nonetheless. Discharging all of those functions gives the father the right to discipline and demand. But again, the father has earned that right by the way he lives. When the son is old and ready for his own life, the ways of the father will be his and the son in turn will perpetuate, carryon those values for his family.It is so very important for the father to incorporate the son into his life. To train up the child is to involve the child in the life, the career, the work of the father. So many sons carry on, inherit and follow the father. Father and son, or daughter, work together,learn together and the father teaches in practical ways. What the father holds dear and in which he has invested his life becomes part of the child, a very practical and worthy training for the child. The child can learn the way of business, work, industry so that like father, the child can be:A WORK MAN OR WOMAN WORTHY OF HIS HIREThat kind of fatherly guidance is so very important and it is the duty of the father to invest the time and effort to train up the child in that way.And so with hobbies, and fun. There are games, trips, sports, theater, dining and all manners of wonderful vacation which must be shared by father and child. Life is difficult and even as there are the demands of work, there must be the pleasures of play. To laugh and cry together. To enjoy the joys of this world as God has indicated is our right. Lasting moments are created in fun and play.Father and child are intimate, or should be. Their dialogue, their caring for each other should be totally open, transparent. Nothing should be hidden. The child should have the confidence and the trust in father to openly reveal, discuss hurts, ask questions, confess doubt, challenge beliefs and otherwise make certain that the father fully understands precisely who the child is. For the child develops independently and individually, a special and unique creation by God, and not merely as the earthly father would have him be. The answers to questions should come first from the father, not from peers or school but from DAD. The son should want to talk to father first and be assured that he knows what the father thinks. They can not always agree but father and son can always be open and honest with each other. That seems so lacking today. There is little communication, virtually no dialogue. Father's preach and lecture but seldom practice one of the most important attributes of good fathering:LISTENINGReally listening. Patiently allowing the child to open the heart, to question, to express love and anger and to know as a child the father will listen and respect. That more than anything builds character and confidence in the child. Fathers are friends and confidants. The father in the mind of the child is the first GO-TO.If not, the child seeks FATHER SURROGATES and substitutes. Today's education can often occur without traditional moral values or the standards of old. No third party education is a substitute for a father's education. Children who are fatherless in actuality or spiritually seek comfort, guidance and acceptance from their peers which can often be secular and even with immoral influences. They are ready to learn and adapt, to be accepted in so many ways different from what the father might believe or want for the child. The conduct of the child can then become permissive, even unlawful as standards or morality are worn down and compromised. That fatherless child goes a different way and the father has forsaken the most important duty of fatherhood, training up that child. If you have a child, if you are a biological father, then you must, YOU MUST be a spiritual, loving father as God would have it. Don't send a child to church. Take him. Worship with him. Love together the Lord of Glory. Study Scripture and pray, together. Talk about spiritual things for the child is even more interested in what the father thinks and believes than perhaps a pastor.Take time for the child's life, school events, sports. Be there, lovingly and with respect for the child growing to adult. Nothing means more than a father BEING THERE. That child is YOU, dad. You can not ignore or deny YOU. The child wants YOU more than anything else. There came to you that little bundle of joy, your very own son, your very own daughter, YOU IN EVERY WAY! You are privileged to be a father of that child and he or she should be a clear priority, a first priority. There will never be better earthly love, nothing comes close, than the love of a father for his child. However strong the bond, and even if the father-child bond is broken, in some deep primal way, love is always there, or at least the hope of that love. There is no child, or father however old or hardened who does not feel that way. What a joy, what a privilege to be a father.Even as an adult, well-educated, perhaps successful, father himself, a son will always seek out a father, for fellowship, for advice, for comfort and caring, and for love. That never changes. Even in death, he the father being dead yet speaketh. All he was and all they were together lives on, it is eternal even as the love of God is eternal. The words, the deeds, the loving deeds will never be forgotten. The understanding, the trust and the respect between father and child will never die.Perhaps a father's proudest moment is when the child, adult and ready, leaves the father and becomes his own man. That is a biblical requirement, and at that time, the father should be proud, very proud of the INVESTMENT he has made in the child. For a father can think back, reminisce and remember all of those things which forged the bond, the training, the education and growth of the child, an investment far more valuable than anything financial. That, says dad, is my son. That, says dad, is my daughter of whom I am so very proud. He or she was worth everything I gave. The loving bond between father and child will sustain, motivate and guide the child for a lifetime. It is the earthly component of the Heavenly Father. What a privilege it is to be a father.So, I and my company the Crawford Broadcasting Company salute fathers, real fathers who love, educate, grow and train up their children in the way in which they should go. You are special, dads like that, very special. The world needs real fathers now more than ever. And, what is so wonderful is that it is never too late to be father no matter what has gone before. Fathering may ebb and flow but the opportunity is always there, always. Never quit, never give up on fathering.So, enjoy your day DAD. Father's Day can show love and respect for dad one day. But real fathers are honored by their children every day. For the most priceless thing any child can have is:A LOVING FATHER!

Education in America is in one sad state. Even in some cases, Christian education succumbs to secular pressure, woke-radical influence, even anti-American and anti-Christian influence but, thankfully for the most part, remains a sane and sensible option, certainly for Christians but for truly conservative Americans as well.The leading secular universities are beset with student terrorist tactics. Those once illustrious universities including Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, UCLA, and others are campuses of lawlessness, rebellion, defiance of authority, criminal activity, and a total disregard for the rule of law and constitutional authority. What a tragedy, an unbelievable tragedy which represents the great discontent and divide between Americans today. We the people are indeed a house divided and unless we find a way to correct these problems, and once again realize that our primary responsibility is to be law-abiding citizens of this great country, this house of ours will indeed fall.These student rebellions and riots are not just mobilized by students. Leaders of these outbursts are often the very professors who are supposedly their teachers. It is simply unbelievable to see these teachers defying university authority, rules and regulations, and even the laws of the city and state. That however is professorial conduct fostered by a radical, woke, anti-American philosophy and point of view.But more, the riots we see on campus, the takeovers of buildings, and the sit-ins are fostered by outside rabble rousers, some paid to do so by men like George Soros, and his supposedly charitable, nonprofit entities, anti-American to the core. Other paid rabble rousers, rioters, and mini-terrorists are paid for by other extremely wealthy, radical businessmen who, like Soros, are anti-American-anti-Chrisitan as well. These men and women want the end of the America we have always known and loved, and are in danger of losing at least in part if not all together.But the real actors are the students themselves for the most part. They are responsible for the consequences. They are children, so many of them, without parental guidance and certainly little or no discipline. The influence of a real mother or father is missing in so many cases. They act irresponsibly, they seem to desire attention, and they are more than willing to act out. In so many cases, they really don't understand the full meaning of why they are doing what they are doing, and acting the way they are acting, nor do they care about the consequences of their actions. There is some uneducated talk about acting under the freedoms of the First Amendment, but that is totally wrong. They talk about their rights to protest, and to assemble, and to petition for redress of their grievances under the First Amendment, but they absolutely plagiarize and corrupt the true meanings, the freedoms and responsibilities, the rights and duties, which the First Amendment allows and requires.Our beloved and special First Amendment allows for peaceful assembly, not the kind we see at Columbia, and it never allows for trespassing. There is no right, for example, on the part of any student or rabble rouser to unlawfully occupy buildings or otherwise restrict the access of others to those buildings. To do so is a violation of the law, a criminal action, and should be punished as the law requires without exception. There can be no exception for these BRAINLESS BRATS, or these radical and progressive professors, and certainly these AWFUL AGITATORS, paid by radical anti-Americans should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.These so-called protestors, really mini terrorists, violate with impunity the rules and regulations of the universities they attend, including Columbia, Harvard, and the University of Pennsylvania. They also violate with impunity the laws of the jurisdiction of the city, and the state in which the university resides. They should be punished. They should not be suspended from school but expelled. They should not be free from prosecution but disciplined and punished according to their unlawful acts.They have utterly ignored the rights of other students. They have prevented access to classes, they intimidate and even threaten, and on occasion even do harm to their fellow students. Such conduct is as wrong as it can be.They chant, bear signs which are anti-Semitic to the core. These students hate Jews and they engage in hate speech against the Jews. One hears chants and sees signs which they bluntly say:KILL ALL THE JEWS!They even wish for a reincarnation of the holocaust. They are violently anti-Jewish, and they have ignored the atrocities committed against the Jewish people by Arabs, Iran, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and of course HAMAS. It is as though October 7 never happened.They promote BDS, the boycott of all things Israel and Jewish, the divestment of all investment in Israel, sanctions against Israel, and the end of all aid, financial and military, to the only democracy in the Middle East. The main motivation behind these student riots and uprisings is a hatred of the Jews, the re-emergence of a vicious and vitriolic antisemitism. They even invoke the name of Adolf Hitler in their so-called cause.They trespass upon the private property of others with impunity.They leave property damage in their wake. They set up their tents and leave refuse and garbage behind, caring nothing about the property or the people who formerly used those spaces.They rebel against and resist any police action and they have committed violence with impunity against the police who attempt to restore law and order.They disrupt education. They prevent students, especially Jewish students, from going to classes or attending events. They have created an atmosphere of fear and a lack of individual safety in attending classes, interfering at every turn with the educational process.They have and they will engage in violence, as the opportunity may occur, no matter if innocent and uninvolved individuals take the brunt of such actions. Whether to property or persons, violence and damage are the end result of these unlawful actions in so many cases.These student terrorists block access, ingress and egress, to university campuses, classes, and events. They bargain with university officials, who lower themselves in considering the demands of these terroristic student gangs, and the so-called university officials and leaders seem to have no compunction in compromising with these would-be young criminals. The leaders of these student gangs bargain with university officials and even law enforcement for:COMPLETE AMNESTYfor their actions. Woke and radical anti-American district attorneys, law enforcement officers, politicians, and others, so many of them look the other way, do little or nothing, and seem ready to forgive and forget. What an absolute tragedy.In so many cases, these rioters do not really understand why they are rioting. They don't know the facts; they are unconcerned with the truth for they live in the day and age of:POST-TRUTHwhere anything goes. Compounding this American tragedy is the fact that these students are fully supported by their very own professors who stand with them, picket, barricade, march, and otherwise encourage this unlawful activity. George Soros and company would be proud. Small wonder Israel no longer trusts America like it once did and is determined to protect and defend its nation, its rights, and its people ALL BY ITSELF, no matter what. It may come to just that.What a world. We hope and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we ask for the intervention of God Almighty, the great G-d Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; but the hate, the antisemitism, the worldwide rebellion against law and order, and religion, and especially Christianity, goes on. We cannot forsake Israel, especially we the Christian people. We know that if we bless the nation and the Jews, God will bless us, and if we don't, we will be cursed, as we are told in the Book of Genesis.What is happening in the world at large, the Middle East, and in Israel-Palestine, all are signs of the END TIMES. If so, we should be watchmen and women on the walls, watching for the return, the rapture. But in the interim, we should work for the night is coming when no man can work, work for peace, for goodwill, for dialogue, for salvation, for the return of this world to faith, hope, and love. Otherwise, the worst, the very, very worst is yet to come.

In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Monday in May, echoing the words and sentiments of the proclamation of General John A. Logan of the grand Army of the Republic in 1868 who stated:“Memorial Day is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion (the Civil War) and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet, church yard in the land.”So it is that the primary purpose of Memorial Day is to strew with flowers literally and figuratively the graves and memories of America's daring defenders. They the fallen died for freedom, liberty, for America, for us, for YOU AND ME. We were asked to remember those who died in the great American Civil War, but the day to remember now incorporates all who have given lives in defense of our country. Far too many wars, my fellow Americans, and far too many fallen defenders by the millions who believed in America, and in its fundamental principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all mankind. How grateful we should be.We are descendants or contemporaries of patriots, men and women who cherish freedom and were willing to fight and die to defend it if necessary. These warriors lived by the words of Patrick Henry who said:GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH.Our nation was formed in the fight for freedom for there was no life worthwhile without it. There came our great Constitution and our incredible BILL OF RIGHTS, the rights and freedom amendments which are the finest in the history of mankind. But no matter the origin, it seems as though in so many ways the passion for freedom may have been lost today as they once had it. We seem to take for granted what they died for. And the courage, they the fallen had seems lost today in so many ways and the change in our country, produces in so many ways an America in decline, at least politically, philosophically and certainly passionately. Our ancestors fought for the Constitution, for the Bill of Rights and the freedoms those now 27 Amendments allow us. They were ready to die for them, but we the current people allow them to be watered down, interpreted away and often ignored without the fight or conviction to protect and defend them. Perhaps the freedoms of Patrick Henry are giving way to a slow but sure death. Perhaps we have failed to meet the challenge of Ben Franklin who told us that the Republic they created for us was a marvelous way of government IF we could keep it. I wonder if we can.So, in the midst of barbeques and baseball, it is so healthy to look back and remember. Remember a George Washington, a general, a leader, a President, a warrior, a patriot. Or a Paul Revere who rode the land warning that the enemy was coming, sounding the alarm. It seems as though we need more Paul Reveres, warning us that enemies to our Constitution and way of life are coming, and in fact are HERE. We the people should be ever mindful of the threats and sound the alarm as he did, like those who energized our country once before, THE BOSTON TEA PARTY PATRIOTS and the revolution their courageous acts energized and inspired. They took a stand against taxes and so must we. Ours continue to rise, and rise to the point of confiscation and nothing but nothing destroys freedom like taxes. President John Adams reminded us that the two killers of liberty are slavery and debt. The debt of confiscatory taxation strangles freedom and that is happening at an incredibly rapid pace today. Shame on us.It is hard for us to think back and remember the early days in America when slavery, slavery was a way of life in America to our great shame and embarrassment. We the moderns find that inconceivable, and the practice of slavery of any kind abhorrent, do we not? Right-thinking men and women fought and fell to rid America of the scourge of slavery, God bless them.And to rid the world of despots like Hitler, evil to the core, Mussolini and those who in war would destroy the freedom and liberty of all. God bless them.There can hardly be a family anywhere in America which has not laid a son or daughter on the altar of freedom. So many fought and fell, lives given willingly for us in war after war. And there were those who supported those who fought. We honor them. Many of our warriors and defenders came home hurt and damaged in body or mind perhaps for a lifetime. On Memorial Day, we honor these veterans of wars, these HEROES, these wounded warriors who gave us our freedom:WE OWE THEM!A debt we can never repay. To honor them is the least we can do, to thank them as we remember and as we encounter those in our military who follow after them. We should help and support them. They lived and died for what they believed. Whenever I encounter a member of our military, I thank them for what they did and what they do for our great country, for me, and for you, and for my friends and loved ones and all Americans whether I know them or not. But I really do know them for I know what is in their hearts and minds and I know they love America as much as I do. I will salute them as a sign of respect. I wish them to know that I will always be grateful for everything they do for me and the America I love. Perhaps YOU should do the same, not on one Memorial Day, but all days. They the heroes and defenders are the very best of us.God bless them.Memorial Day is always celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery, a very special place, a burial site for some of America's bravest. At 3 PM on that Monday, a very special ceremony occurs and each grave is decorated with a small American flag. Thehighlight of the celebration is a speech in honor of these brave men and women from the President or Vice President of the United States honoring their contributions to America and laying a wreath at the tomb of The Unknown Soldier. That tomb represents tens of thousands of other unknown soldiers who gave their lives in service to our country, but in death never got the recognition and respect they so justly deserved. Do remember them, my fellow Americans, do remember them as well on Memorial Day as there may be no one else, no loved one, no friend or family to do so. And as you do remember these American heroes, thank our God, the God who blesses America for all those who gave so much for us. They allowed us to be parents, to have and enjoy family, they allowed us to be workers and fully participate in the great opportunities America offers. THEY allowed us to be all that we can be because our soldiers, they were determined to be all they could be. Have a special place in your heart all week for any loved one, family or friend of yours who should be MEMORIALIZED AND REMEMBERED this day and always.And, as we pay tribute and remember, let us become better citizens of this great country, ready more than ever to preserve, protect and defend all it stands for, all of our blessed and precious freedoms which exist like there are nowhere else in the world. Let us stand for what is right with actions, protests, town meetings, marches, debate, fact and truth at work, counteracting government spin and disinformation. Let us stand tall for the right, for truth, for all things moral and valuable. Let us resolve, we the people, we who own and control this country to do our job as citizens far better. And remember to cherish and exercise the greatest privilege which every American has. That is:THE VOTEThere is no more powerful weapon than the vote of the American citizen. It is the most precious Constitutional right we have and for which our forefathers fought and died. Let us make certain that we vote for those to represent us who so passionately believe in these very special freedoms as we do, and they the fallen did. It is only then, when we do our part, day in and day out, that we would have the right to say with conviction and passion as our forefathers did:GOD BLESS AMERICAFor that can not happen unless we the people do what is right, remembering whom and what went before and committing with conviction to follow in their footsteps. These men and women died for GOD AND COUNTRY and for you and me in the never-ending fight to protect and preserve:FREEDOMMemorialize their memories this Memorial Day and every day!God bless America and God bless you.

Education in America is in a sad state. That is especially so with higher education, colleges and universities.Traditional education, at every turn, is being challenged, reduced, or eliminated and new educational subjects take hold. Places of higher education have become breeding grounds for radicals, revolutionary tactics, and rebellion against authority and the rule of law. Witness the takeovers and the tents, the camps, and the rabble rousers protesting, and especially exhibiting anti-Israel and anti-Semitic speech and conduct. Ironically, many of these protestors are not even college students, but rather so many paid troublemakers, paid by individuals like George Soros, and entities run by him and his cronies. They stir up hatred. They make unbelievable demands upon the administration, alumni groups, and faculty, and among other things, they demand that the universities sever all ties with the state of Israel and embrace the policy BDS, Boycott-Divest-and otherwise stop all relations with Israel and the Jews.These rabble rousers are pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel and the Jews, calling for justice on the one hand for starving and displaced Palestinians without ever mentioning the killings of Hamas, the hostages taken and still held, and the barbaric conduct of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, and other Arab nations which hate Israel and the Jews. Secular education has changed and may never be the same.In addition, there is now an assault by the Biden Administration on CHRISTIAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. Joe Biden, unbelievably our President, purports to be Christian and Catholic and sits back, says nothing, and of course does nothing as DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Secretary Miguel Cardona goes after these Christian schools. They, thank God, refuse to toe the line, walk the liberal walk, and refuse to endorse or support the gay agenda, the attack on the family, parenting, and especially marriage, and of course abortion, all of which the Biden Administration favors and which the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION supports.Cardona and, unbelievably so, congressional representative Rosa DeLauro, Democrat (of course) from Connecticut are the attack dogs in the lead. Said they:“WE ARE CRACKING DOWN NOT ONLY TO SHUT THEM DOWN (CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITIES) BUT TO SEND THE MESSAGE TO THEM TO NOT PREY ON STUDENTS.”The allegations they make are that these universities “lied to students about the cost of education and their programs.” Of course, there is nothing specific, no facts involved, nothing really to refute except this horribly prejudiced, biased generalization, the suit being brought by the Federal Government against the great Christian Universities, Grand Canyon University and Liberty University, incidentally America's two largest Christian institutes of higher education. I do suppose more will come but these so-called allegations are so minor, so frail, so fact-less and so obviously biased that they are almost laughable. But then again, so much of the conduct of our Federal Government under the Biden Administration is just that. I do wonder how any Jew, true Jew, or any Christian, real Christian, could ever vote for Biden or the democratic party that supports him and these absolutely absurd, prejudiced, anti-American views and policies. What a world.Grand Canyon University is the largest Christian university in America and a good one. President Brian Mueller describes these allegations, and the lawsuit which followed including the fine, as “ridiculous.” Not stopping there, Cardona and the DOE went after Liberty University and accused them, in a $37 million dollar fine, of “over alleged under-reporting of crimes.” Unbelievable. Of course, there were no facts, nothing specific, but only these biased, general allegations, really nothing more than anti-Christian at the core.Said President Brian Mueller:“It's interesting, is it not, that the two largest Christian universities in the country, ours and Liberty University, are both being fined almost the identical amount at the identical time.” Now, said Mueller:“IS THERE A CAUSE AND EFFECT HERE? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I KNOW IT'S A FACT.”Again, hear the words of Cardona and representative DeLauro:“WE ARE CRACKING DOWN NOT ONLY TO SHUT THEM DOWN BUT TO SEND A MESSAGE TO NOT PREY ON STUDENTS.”Cardona and his ilk want not only to fine these great Christian universities, but to actually close them:“TO SHUT THEM DOWN!”There really can be nothing more anti-Christian than such statements and such actions by this liberal, woke, radical, Joe Biden government and administration. Again, how can any true Christian ever vote for Biden or anyone who supports the policies he does? Can you?Said Jon Schweppe, a conservative spokesperson:“The Federal government's education agenda is punishing schools that do not conform to their progressive ideology. It is time we took a stand against this egregious abuse of power.”Not so, Mr. Schweppe. It is far past time we the Christian people took a stand against this anti-Christian bias, this woke ideological bias, and got rid of them, the evil doers. It is time we voted them out of office, them and the one who appointed them, namely Joe Biden.GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY (GTU) has as its motto that its university is:“PRIVATE, CHRISTIAN, AFFORDABLE.”It stands apart from universities across the country that are facing declining enrollment or unenrollment and the students who wish to attend GCU are only increasing. The decline in enrollment is especially severe at universities which are indoctrinating students with radical politics. They are also failing to defend the American Constitution and rule of law and especially the First Amendment with regard to freedom of religion and freedom of speech among others.The Goldwater Institute (GI), a conservative group, wrote the following:“So why then are the Feds targeting GCU, a popular university that seems to be doing everything right? That's exactly what we're going to find out.”President Mueller said that no matter what the Federal Government does, “it has had zero impact on anything that we're (GCU) doing.”Mueller went on to say:“The enrollments are just continuing to grow. The morale (of our students) is very high in terms of our faculty and staff. The campus is extremely vibrant. The students absolutely love this place. They're extremely loyal to it and so we just keep marching through it.”Amen, Christian brothers in education, march on, fight on, stand up as soldiers of the cross, and of Christian education, and stand for the excellence in education which GCU has championed all these years. Never compromise and remember the words of Winston Churchill:“NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!”So, GCU President Brian Mueller asks for prayer. Pray for them and the great Liberty University. But do more. Perhaps you can give. You can surely write your Congress person and make sure they know about this biased, grossly unfair attack on these Christian universities and Christianity generally, and ask them to intervene. By the way, don't bother writing to Biden and Company, for that is a letter which is a waste of time and will never be read.The attack on Liberty University and Grand Canyon University is just typical of the anti-Christian attitude and activities which are permeating our society in America, and so much of the world at large. Yet another reason, my fellow Americans and my fellow Christians, for us to stand up, put on the armor of our Lord and our faith, and:FIGHT THE FIGHT OF FAITH.The battle is here in so many different ways and it is time, aggressively and consistently to respond, to make certain that evil men like George Soros and so many others who are determined to destroy America and Christianity with it, do not prevail. Christian education is absolutely essential today, especially with secular education declining and in such disarray, more so every day. I ask, along with President Brian Mueller, that you render your full support, encouragement, prayers, and even giving to GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY and as well LIBERTY UNIVERSITY. They stand for truth, for real Christianity, and they stand for real, solid, education in every other respect. In this world of ours, they are the best!

He, the man who finds a good wife finds a good thing, so says the scripture.Any such man is blessed of the Lord when he finds the RIGHT woman and, in love, takes her as his wife. The life of any man is made complete, richer and fuller, when he shares life with the right wife.Solomon, the King, knew the value, the blessing of a good wife. The crowning joy of a woman-wife was to be MOTHER, and the husband-father rejoiced in the son or daughter who began the family. But both before and during mothering, that woman-mother remained individual, unique, special in and of herself. This right mother-wife, daughter of the living God, was a woman-wife of noble character. She was moral, faithful, trustworthy, a woman of her word. That kind of woman was worth far more than rubies, far, far more.Her husband, blessed and fortunate, had full confidence and trust in her. He was proud of her, rejoiced in her strengths and her family influence and all with whom she came in contact. She was a valuable human being.She brought good, love to her husband and her family, and to all with whom she came in contact. She was a woman of love and charity and so easily loved in return.Solomon then says that this wife of noble character worked eagerly with her hands. She was productive, not idle, contributing to the good of her family. She provided food for that family of hers and made certain as wife and mother that her family was properly clothed, fed, and protected. She was a woman who could earn, and as a merchant, frugal and sensitive to the value of money, she could like a merchant engage in trading for the profitability of herself, her efforts, her husband, and her family. Her trading, her doing business said Solomon, was PROFITABLE.She cared for the poor. She always extended help, love, comfort, and succor to the needy. In olden times, she with her husband were always welcomed and respected at the CITY GATE, the place where business and legal matters were conducted.This very special woman was a person of strength, enduring whatever came, and always with grace and dignity. She had no worry for the future, she thought little or nothing about tomorrow's problems, and with a happy spirit she could laugh at the days to come. She was positive in all things.This good woman, constantly learning, was filled with wisdom and she spoke with wise words. She taught her family, her children, and FAITHFUL INSTRUCTION WAS ALWAYS ON HER TONGUE! She was responsible for and carefully carried on the business and the affairs of her household. She was never idle. Always busy in the work of a woman and a wife and joyfully so. She made the household a happy place in which to live, and her husband and her children were so very grateful for this God-given woman. So much so that all called her blessed, knew how special she was, followed after her spirituality, and praised her, blessed her among themselves and to all others. To her husband and children, her household, she was the best of all women, one of a kind, beautiful in the eye and the heart of the beholder. They knew, this household did, that there were many other noble women who did noble things, but for them, their mother, his wife, was the best, the very best of the best.Her beauty came from within, from a character adorned by the Holy Spirit, radiating joy, happiness, and positivity. Her life spread blessings. No matter what she looked like, she was beautiful to all who knew her.She was a woman and a wife who believed deeply in God. This woman of today had found that deep and rich personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and his love in her was spread to all others. Scripture tells children to honor their father and mother, and to obey their father and mother, and a mother like this was both easy to honor and obey. She was a lifetime asset for her family, and especially her children.So, Solomon concludes:HONOR HER FOR ALL THAT SHE HAS DONE.HONOR HER! Praise her, at home and everywhere and to everyone. Any woman like this, or even close to all of this, is more precious, more valuable, of more blessing than all the rubies and all the precious gems in the entire world.Any man who finds a woman like this and marries and takes her as wife, finds a lifetime asset more precious than gold, so says Solomon, so says the scripture, so says the great God Jehovah, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the creator of all men and all women.HE THAT FINDETH A GOOD WIFE FINDETH THE BEST THING IN LIFE!

It is here now, this spiritual fight and the preliminary stages of the battle rage.The fight is with an enemy stealthy, sly, and determined. The enemy is an evil force, hateful, and determined to win this battle. It plots day and night to do just that.We, God's people, are in this fight, and it must be with all our might. This enemy, the army of Satan, has every weapon possible available in its arsenal. It is an enemy determined to wage war with conservative America and Christian America in the political arena. It will use every governmental power possible in the fight.It will pervert everything religious, especially true Christianity, to spread doubt and fear.It will control culture and seek to change customs, beliefs, priorities, and terminology.In this era of post-truth (no truth), the LIE prevails, and the enemy will use that viciously. Mankind will find it extremely difficult to know the truth which makes us free as Christians and conservative Americans.The enemy will use hate, viciously hateful themselves, but accuse people of faith of being hateful.This vicious anti-Christian enemy has and uses every weapon possible. But, my fellow Christians, they the enemy do not have the greatest weapon of all.WE DO. WE, THE CHRISTIANS, DO!And that weapon, which can never be defeated, is none other than the greatest force, the greatest power in this world, no less than:LOVE! LOVE!We, the believers, fight the fight of faith with love. With God. For we are told from childhood that:GOD IS LOVE.God loved us so much that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. Mythological even comical to the enemy, but the ultimate reality for us who believe.So that, in this vicious spiritual battle against the enemy, Satan himself and his legions, we the Christian opposition:SHALL NOT BE MOVED.We have on, in the battle, the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. We fight evil with what is right. We have from head to toe the armor of LOVE. No Weapon of the enemy can pierce that armor.We carry with us at all times the SWORD OF THE LORD. It bristles, it gleams with righteousness, and with love, and with truth. Even with this armor and carrying the sword of righteousness, we can run the race and win that race against the enemy. The power of love is just simply unbelievable, a weapon which can never, ever be defeated.We have no fear of our enemy, none at all. We look evil in the face and we say:I SHALL NOT BE MOVED!We know, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength that the love of God in Christ:CONQUERS ALL!So that, even if any of us would lay down our life in the service of our Lord, and in the fight for our faith, we know that our Lord, our captain, our Savior, and His remaining army, will ultimately win the battle. We will never be afraid of, nor will we lose to, this Evil Enemy. The love of God in the fight of faith can never be beaten, NEVER!We his people look forward to the time when:THE POWER OF LOVE WILL REPLACE THE LOVE OF POWER!Then this world and this evil enemy will know defeat even as the LOVE of Christ will win this war of faith and peace like never before and will reign like never before.That really is the only way this enemy, Lucifer's Legions, can ever be defeated. LOVE, the ultimate weapon, is the only force which can defeat the Anti-Christ and everything thrown against the Christ and his people, and it will, it definitely will, not only defeat the enemy but win the battle and ultimately:TRANSFORM THIS WORLD.The Love of God in Christ is so powerful.The Love of God in Christ is eternal. It is the only thing we can carry with us when we die. Love makes the end so easy. Even on the battlefield of faith, if we die, love lives on, love lives long and eternal and it alone abides eternally along with faith and with hope.But the greatest of these, the greatest of all powers in this world, the weapon which will ultimately destroy the enemy is none other than:LOVE.So, we love our enemies when they persecute us, so says the scripture. We bless them, and we do good for them, our enemies, when they do the opposite to us. For we know that:GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR BUT OF POWER,AND LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND. WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.So, when the enemy comes after us with every weapon possible, we fight back with the only weapon we need:

This world of ours has little joy, real joy. Perhaps there exists some sort of superficial happiness, but transient and really unfulfilling, but little more.It seems that so much of our world is sad, hopeless in feeling, even hateful. Our world is angry, antagonistic, so very jealous and greedy, negative in so many ways.I wonder, are you afraid, feeling uncertain and insecure, perhaps even from time to time hateful and angry, untrusting, are you? I wonder sometimes, how much of the joy of Christianity, rejoicing in the relationship with Jesus Christ, in possession of a thankful heart, the promises of the Son of God have been lost as the wiles of the devil seem to permeate this world.The carpenter of Nazareth, the Son of the Living God, told us quite plainly that He came not only to forgive but to bring us who believe His JOY that our lives may be full, full of that joy. How tragic it would be if once we have met him, and believed in Him, that the joy of our relationship with Him should be tarnished, even eliminated by the ever-growing hateful things in this world.And more. REJOICE, said He, and even more:BE EXCEEDINGLY GLAD.Let gladness permeate your heart, your mind, your emotions, your attitude, your entire life. Be happy, no matter what. For not only are you forgiven but you are born again into a brand-new life of joy, happiness, and rejoicing! I wonder if you take time every day, EVERY DAY, to rejoice, rejoice in Him and for the life you should have now, and you will definitely have hereafter. Do you?The Apostle Paul tells us to give thanks, GIVE THANKS IN EVERYTHING, the good, the bad, the average, the day-to-day, IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS, thanks to God for His unspeakable gift. Do you? The strongest possession any Christian can have is a thankful heart.And our Lord says that we should love our enemies. Is there anything harder to do in this world than that? When someone identifies as an enemy, comes at you, does you wrong, hurts you or ones you love, is there anything harder than to love that person? But, the love we have for Jesus Christ never fails, transcends everything, is stronger than anything and it is always there, always. Our God is love and we his people should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves, even if that neighbor is our enemy so says the scripture. That essential principle, that basic tenet of Christianity, that emotional command, is the hardest thing for any Christian to do, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, IT IS THE MOST REWARDING! We should never accept the wrong, but we should always love the wrongdoer, thus saith the Lord. To carry a grudge, to return hate with hate, to get even, to make a wrongdoer pay, works havoc on the believer, even more so than the evildoer. Be glad, be happy says our Lord when you are persecuted for His name's sake, when evil comes after good, and never forget, NEVER that ultimately:GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN!Even, says HE, if you weep now, you will laugh sooner or later. YOU WILL LAUGH, you will be happy. Never forget that. You will laugh, you will be happy as David says in the Psalms, even as our Lord laughs at the wicked. Full belief in the love of God in Jesus Christ can do nothing but make one, the believer, be glad, rejoice, be happy and LAUGH!The smile, the facial smile, the real smile is a rarity today. The heavy heart makes for a sad face. The happy heart, the loving heart produces a cheerful face as Solomon tells us in Proverbs. Our Lord confirms that when he tells us that we should:BE OF GOOD CHEER!Life is short, so very short, and any hour of any day spent glum, sad, angry, jealous, or hateful is simply the waste of a part of THE DAY WHICH THE LORD HAS MADE! The spirit of the loving God is at the ready to help, to remind you of this part of your life which you are wasting. Be glad, says the spirit of the living God, and rejoice, and always remember, says the Lord:I AM COME THAT YOUR JOY MIGHT BE FULL!I AM COME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY!And more. James tells us that the happy heart breaks out in singing, singing songs of love, praise, and joy. David confirms in the Psalms when he tells us to be glad and sing for joy. Even if you can't carry a tune, sing anyway. Sing songs of praise every day, let your heart sing, be cheerful, be glad, be happy, and never let any part of this sad world, this world hateful, angry, jealous, and itself without joy, bring you down. NEVER!When the rich man met the Lord Jesus Christ, He sold everything he had, and he did so with JOY. Nothing mattered to him but the joy he found in Jesus Christ. Never forget, my fellow Christians, that a cheerful heart is good medicine. It heals like nothing else, and also remember the wise words of Solomon in Proverbs that:A CRUSHED SPIRIT DRIES UP THE BONES!Avoid at all costs the dry bones of Ezekiel. Every day, even all day, you can live with the joy, the happiness, the rejoicing that our Lord provides, which is only a taste of that JOY TO COME!So, in everything give thanks. In the testings, the trials and tribulations, the sicknesses, the losses, the betrayals, the hateful, the persecution, give thanks, be grateful, for our Lord who never left the Apostle Paul when he suffered in the dungeon all alone, will never leave us. The key to claiming that promise, says the Apostle Paul, is to give thanks:GIVE THANKS IN EVERYTHING.And that is especially so when the trials, the tribulations, the persecutions, the hurt and the pain are the worst. When life is at its worst, our Lord is at HIS BEST.Now abides safe in Him, hope in Him, and the love because of Him. Never let go of a cheerful heart any hour of any day. That is what the Lord of the abundant life wants for YOU!

Do you tell your spouse the truth? ALWAYS?That would be the whole truth and nothing but the truth, do you?When you communicate with spouse or children, or any family members or friends, or even in the workplace, or church, or social gatherings, do you tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth all the time? ALL THE TIME?And, do you expect others to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth when they communicate with you, do you? To tell the truth always, all of it, to everyone under every circumstance, is an extremely difficult task, if not impossible. Our communication, our cultural exchanges, our personal expectations are difficult, partial at best, and seldom if ever contain the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. More often than not, we leave out or add in. We communicate Half-Truths. The definition of half-truth is that only about half of that is true, if that. So often, we communicate with the so-called WHITE LIE. Interesting, is it not, how we give colors (black-white-gray) to falsified communication? The truth, knowing and communicating the truth, is a difficult process.Perhaps it is a journey to know, believe, and communicate the truth. No matter, it is the obligation, the duty, of a Christian to be truthful, to know and communicate the truth. THOU SHALT NOT LIE (bear false witness) say the commandments and affirmed by our Lord. When we communicate with others in word or deed, it must be with the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth to the very best of our human abilities. That is especially so in family circles. The lie sets an example, a very bad one, especially in family circles, with spouses and children. If a parent expects a child to tell the truth, then that parent better tell the truth as a matter of course, regularly and all the time, and without exception.Pilate, the governor who passed judgment on Jesus, asked the age-old question, perhaps one of the most important questions (issues) ever asked:WHAT IS TRUTH?He had his answer from Jesus of Nazareth, who told him bluntly and point blank:I AM THE TRUTH. I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!That message was for all of us. Jesus told the world of that time and all of us since, that he was ONE WITH THE FATHER, in other words, God himself. That was either the biggest lie of all time, or the most profound truth, one or the other. But, said He, that is the ultimate truth and to know exactly what Jesus was, who He was, was the ultimate spiritual and divine truth. Do you know that and do you believe that?But what is the definition of truth? It is extremely difficult to define. Truth is based on fact, that which really happened. It is reality, truth is, unvarnished. It is what actually happened, what was accurately said, things not subject to interpretation or question. Truth is moral, good, and right. It is honest and reliable. Truth, real truth is not subject to question, doubt, or interpretation. It comes from the deeds and the words of an honest person. It creates no doubt.The exact opposite is the LIE. Amazing, is it not, how the lie pervades our culture, our society, our government? Our political world, worldwide and especially in America, is corrupt, knows not the truth, cares nothing about the truth, and in fact boldly proclaims that we live in the day and age of:POST TRUTH.Our leaders, almost all know more than mere politicians, power, money, and fame- hungry individuals seem to care little or nothing about the truth. They lie to us with impunity. Many pastors do the very same thing by perverting the Word of God, watering down hard scriptural truth, and failing to set the truthful and moral example which this world of ours so desperately needs. The lie, the lack of truth, pervades business, even the medical world, education, and in fact almost every aspect of our society. The lie goes on in both word and deed. Hypocrisy, saying one thing and doing another, seems part of our everyday life. We exaggerate, and we compromise. We would rather be liked than tell the hard truth or stand up, tall and strong, for what we believe. We seem to have little regard for the conspiracy factor, that we may be equally guilty of not dealing with the lie, the false, the hypocritical, when it is our spiritual duty to do so. The journey to know, believe, and tell the truth is long and difficult indeed, is it not?So often, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, straight and without exaggeration is unpopular and such a person is often disliked. Recall how hated Jesus of Nazareth was when he confronted, challenged, and convicted so many with the message of the eternal gospel. But he boldly proclaimed himself to be the truth and he told all humankind that to know Him (Me) was to know the truth and that truth would make any believing person:FREE.Free from guilt, free from sin, free from inhibitions, weakness, and anger, FREE! And that freedom would give us courage, courage to stand for the truth so that we would not be ashamed or afraid, or anxious, or intimidated. Rather, we would be confident, actualized, energized, and filled with the Holy Spirit who would give us the words, structure the beliefs within us and make us the new creatures our Lord intended, his disciples who would joyfully pursue the journey of truth lifelong. That same Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, would govern our conscience, structure our mind and our thinking, and live inside as a warning system. That same Holy Spirit would be our guide, our leader in:KNOWING THE TRUTH.That very same truth which would make us free.So, the answer to Pilate's question WHAT IS TRUTH? Is provided in a nutshell by our Lord. Jesus said:I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.To know him, really know Him, is the only real way to really know THE TRUTH. As you grow in the knowledge, belief, and love of your Savior, you come to know the truth in the most ultimate and satisfying way, and HE is the end goal of our ultimate journey in the search for truth. The more He lives within your heart, the more you know the truth. There is nothing more wonderful in life than to live the life of truth. No matter this world, the lie of Satan which seems to pervade everything, and almost everyone, you can know the truth, and that truth, that ultimate truth, is contained in two words:JESUS CHRIST.

Do you believe that the Resurrection happened?That a man, Jesus of Nazareth, actually rose from the dead, do you? We celebrate this unnatural, God – motivated event, the greatest in human history next week. But again, do you actually believe that this Resurrection, physically, bodily actually happened?The Apostle Paul says that if you do not believe, then your faith is in vain. That is, if this Resurrection never really happened, Christianity is predicated on a false premise, no better than any other so called religion and in fact maybe worse. Unless Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He was no more than a good moral teacher, and perhaps more magician than miracle worker and by no means the Savior of the World. Again, the words of the Apostle Paul:IF CHRIST BE NOT RISENYOUR FAITH IS IN VAINBut he did. So we believe, and in fact base our lives, our future fortunes on this miraculous event. But Christian faith is based on:THE EMPTY TOMB.Witnesses saw him. They touched him. They heard him speak. They dined with him, another supper after THE LAST SUPPER. They listened to him, heard his voice and believed. They saw an ascension. They felt the power of God the Father in his person. And if ever there was doubt, it was gone. And all who believed could say with the Apostle Paul:FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST!The power of this Resurrection consumed them, became them and out they went to testify, to witness, boldly proclaim, never the same again and wishing the same for others. The power of the resurrected Christ, the coming of the Holy Spirit produced a movement among mankind never before and never like it again. They went, these empowered believers:INTO ALL THE WORLD TO PREACH THIS GOSPELto the Jew first and then to the Gentile. But to all men and women everywhere.But think of this man, this carpenter from Nazareth whose ministry was a short some three years before his Crucifixion. He was a worker of MIRACLES. He, the God – man, was possessed with power over nature. He commanded the seas, he raised the dead, he healed the sick, he restored sight but all of that, miraculous as it may be, was not enough.He was a great teacher, endowed with divine wisdom. His teachings, those parables would live ‘til the end of time. He brought a special divine wisdom. But that was not enough.He introduced a new social order. John the Baptist came fasting but HE came eating and drinking. He came that our joy, the happiness of the new believer should be full. That life in HIM should be merry, abundant for the earth was his and he gave it to us. But that was not enough.Some who came before him did these things. And so, for him to be special, one-of-a-kind, GOD WITH US, there came the trial by heathen men. Then came THE CRUCIFIXION, that horrible, brutal, excruciatingly painful death on the cross and the shedding of all that innocent blood. There had to come that event of NO GREATER LOVE. For we were taught in that Crucifixion that there is no greater love than that a man or a woman should lay down his or her life for someone else, for a friend. THAT WAS NECESSARY, the shedding of the blood of this innocent man for the REMISSION of all sin. The Crucifixion, this supreme redemptive act was absolutely necessary for without it, all that HE was or did was not enough.The blood of a sinless man must be shed in remission of the sins of sinful men.Even he, on that cross, felt forsaken even as we at times do. But this radical, lifechanging event was absolutely necessary in order to change the course of human history, to change the nature of all mankind. Think of all that the next time you partake of the wine and the bread.I often wonder about this man, this carpenter from Nazareth. Sinless was he, so we are told and believe, but a man nonetheless. I wonder about his humanity, what he looked like, how he acted, his personality, his ability to laugh and cry. We know he wept but we can only assume he laughed, because he loved the joy of life. We know his heavy heart and enlightened mind, his teachings serious and weighty. But surely he laughed, saw the humor in life and in mankind for his teaching parables can often be ironic or even sardonic. We can perhaps believe that even as he loved mankind, surely he laughed at their hypocrisy and pretenses.Was he, I wonder, subject to headaches, or on occasion a stomach upset. Surely he was tired. We were told he could be angry which means he ran the gamut of human emotions. I wonder how often he bathed or who may have trimmed his hair. I wonder how he prayed in all those private moments when he was alone with his FATHER. I would trade any of the four gospels for a recording of his thoughts and words in private, with his disciples, in prayer, comments on sunsets, or howling winds, or even the sporting events of the time. How wonderful it would be to know more about this MAN, this carpenter from Nazareth who was crucified for the sins of the world.But then he died. And the earth shook. The sun hid its face. One Joseph of Arimathea took his dead body and laid it in a tomb, over and done for every man before or since.But not this one. For then came the third day:EASTER.The greatest day in the history of mankind. RESURRECTION DAY. UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE. And so we celebrate Easter and we who believe in the Resurrection say boldly to all mankind:HE IS NOT HEREHE IS RISEN!The natural man receives not these things of the Spirit. They are folly, mythological, just flat out untrue. From dust you came, says this natural man and to dust you will return and there will be no more. Not so, says the carpenter from Nazareth, the resurrected Christ of Glory, NOT SO. Even as I rose up from the grave, SO WILL YOU! Those who believe in me will live with me eternally. You are wrong, natural man, dead wrong for you have failed to understand or believe in the greatest event in human history. But the natural man continues to say that CHRIST IS NOT RISEN, and the natural man laughs at Christians and with a look in the eye boldly says:YOUR FAITH IS IN VAIN!Ah, but not so says the Christ of Glory. I am by the power of God alive and I have triumphed over death and the grave. And so will you if you believe in the crucified Christ and the resurrected Christ of Glory. It is as the philosopher and theologian Pascal said the supreme wager in all of life:Do you believe in the resurrected Christ or not?You will make the wager of a natural man or a spiritual man. You will BELIEVE or you will not.Do you believe, do you believe in that Resurrection? If you do, and you should, then your faith is not in vain.

Up the carpenter went to Jerusalem, a very special man soon to be crucified and then, in mighty triumph, wondrously resurrected from the dead.He dined with his disciples, a last loving supper with them to celebrate his body and his blood. The communion, the meaning of the Living Christ had begun.They found him, the Romans and the Sanhedrin did, they tried him, found him guilty although no man so convicted had ever been more innocent and sentenced him to death, the cruelest and most brutal death possible, a public crucifixion.They nailed him to that wooden cross. Ironic is it not that a man who lived and worked with wood died on wood.But before he died he uttered unforgettable words:MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?WHY?Stunning, shocking words, almost impossible to believe. Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of Glory, the SON of the Living God believed that this God the Father had forsaken him! It is impossible to know how he felt, how awful that death must have been for him. For, in that crucial moment, when worlds collided, when heaven and earth met in a tumultuous and cataclysmic way, when the most powerful earthshaking event in all of human history was about to take place, the one whose life was taken so that he could give life to all others felt forsaken! He felt abandoned by the God who sent him for this mission. He was in that sense like us, a man, a human being with emotions and feelings as we have. On that cross, he was like us.And it was in that dark moment as though God had departed, forsaken this man. It might well have been that this holy God could not look upon the ultimate and tragic event. For on that cross, in the blood and body of that person, in that death unto sin were in fact the sins of the world, all of them and all of ours. Perhaps God had in fact withdrawn until that ultimate act was finished and when done, there would be propitiation, remission, which would take away the sins of the world. Perhaps the agony, suffering and meaning of that event needed to occur all by itself.Our Lord knew what would happen. He knew what he would have to do, what God required him to do, what his mission was. And yet, he asked as a man:LET THIS CUP PASS FROM MESaying, in effect that he could only wish that he would not have to go through this monstrous ordeal. But then came the realization, that eternal realization that it was not up to him, whether or not this fate, this mission would go away and he uttered the ultimate words of submissions:NOT MY WILL BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE, FATHERThis crucifixion I endure because you would have me do it.And so our Lord, the carpenter who made living things from wood was to die on a deadly wooden cross. He would die in pain, excruciating pain, in agony, awful agony. He would die exposed physically, body naked and mutilated and subject to ridicule. He would die with ultimate humiliation, mocked by so many. He would die blood, sweat and tears everywhere, the worst possible death the Romans could deliver. And all the time innocent, guilty of:NOTHINGSmall wonder he said:LET IT PASS, PLEASE LET IT PASS!And so he died, the blood, the remission for our sins, for us complete. But, on that third day came the most miraculous, wondrous event this world of ours has ever known. There came on that third day the resurrection, the back-to-life of Jesus Christ, our living Savior and the Prince of Glory. From that brutalized dead body of a carpenter came the resurrected and risen Savior of the world. The power, the ultimate universal power of God Almighty at work.The tomb where he was buried was empty and that is the CRUX of Christianity. If Christ be not risen, says Apostle Paul, then our Christian faith is in vain, worthless. Of all men we who believe in a Christ not risen are most miserable. Then we are of all men deceived and spiritually deranged. Christianity says Paul without the risen Christ is worthless. Yet it seems so difficult to believe. Coming back to life after death is just simply not humanly possible. Except that, ALL THINGS are possible with God, all things including the resurrection of the dead. But the tomb was empty, no body found, as witnessed 2,000 years ago by three women Mary, Mary Magdalene and Salome. They came to this tomb of Joseph of Arimathea to anoint the body of the crucified Christ only to find the messenger of God, an angel who pronounced the three most important words for every believer in the risen Christ:HE IS RISENGo and tell, the disciples, and Peter, and start the spread of that Gospel, the good news to all mankind the world over. Hallelujah and praise the Lord.So we sing on Easter Sunday:CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY!HALLELUJAH!Let us sing with praise and worship for that man tried and convicted, crucified, dead and buried was in fact, hallelujah, raised from the dead, resurrected by the power of God, eternal life in him and because of our belief in him, eternal life for us.We know, we believe that Christ is risen and we who are Christian are one with him. We pray that the love and forgiveness of the Christ of Calvary shall be the portion, the salvation of all mankind even as we sing in praise now and for eternity:CHRIST THE LORD IS RISENHALLELUJAH!

That, says the scriptures, THE CROSS is an:OFFENSE.The meaning, the thought, the application of the cross is indeed an offense to the NATURAL MAN. That is, the man or woman who has no belief in Christianity. This natural person, man or woman, is offended by the notion of the cross. In fact, this anti-Christian person is offended by anything about the cross, including the blood of Jesus Christ.For Christians, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, was the act of the son of God who laid down his life for mankind, for the sins of man and woman, and without, says the scriptures, this shedding of blood there is:NO REMISSION FOR SIN.None at all.But the concept of sin generally and the need of humankind to accept that propitiation for sin is offensive, even mythological. Some critics, atheistic, even go so far as to call the crucifixion and the shedding of blood:BARBARIC.They go back to the Old Testament, to the very book of Genesis, where there was a sacrifice of an animal, the shedding of that animal's blood as atonement, remission for sins, declaring that to be barbaric as well. But, again, for Christians, without the shedding of blood, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, there is no remission for sins, none at all. Sin and blood, and of course crucifixion, say the natural man and woman, is ridiculous mythology and stokes the passions of these anti-Christians in this day and age, perhaps as never before.But sin, the coming short of the glory of God is indeed a reality. In fact, it is everywhere in deed and in heart. Evil is a reality, and there really is no cure for it, except ONE! And that is the saving grace of our Lord clearly manifested to us at Calvary, Golgotha, THE CROSS. Thank God for the cross and Christ!Jesus of Nazareth was tried before Pilate, and the verdict was:I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM!But the mob cried out:CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!Pilate, politician that he was, honored the tradition of the time, to release a prisoner to them and Pilate chose Barrabus over Jesus, so much for justice.To Calvary, he went. Weakened as he was, Simon of Cyrene was conscripted by the Romans to carry the cross of Christ and the Golgathan drama began. Nails were driven into his hands and feet, and there he hung, suffering, parched with a terrible thirst, the crown of thorns on His head causing his blood to drip and his spirit to yearn for the end. He felt all alone, even abandoned by His Father, as he took upon himself the sins of the world, of you and me. In that lonely state, he cried out:MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?But then, mercifully, it was over. And his parting words were:IT IS FINISHED!That ultimate act of redemption was accomplished once and for all, for all mankind, for you and for me. There were those at the time who saw the event, witnessed the horrible act of Roman crucifixion, and watched the innocent Jesus of Nazareth suffer. They witnessed his body taken down from that cross, and the man Joseph, wrapping it in fine linen and laying the precious body of Jesus Christ in that very own and special tomb.That was Friday, but then came Sunday. On the third day, this son of the living God, with the power of God, rose from the dead, and accomplished the greatest event in human history:THE RESURRECTION.Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph or'e his foes. He arose the victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign. Blessed are we, by the millions and millions, who have never seen but who believe, nonetheless.BLESSED ARE WE!And we are indeed, for Gentile and Jew, anyone for that matter, all humankind, can have the incredible benefits of the crucifixion and the resurrection, a life of reconciliation here and life eternal there. Death is destroyed, for there now is no more death. We who believe will live eternally with Him so that the life we now live is redeemed, cleansed, and forgiven by His BLOOD. And we will be raised like HIM in our very own resurrection morning to know HIM and to live eternally with HIM.Thank God for that third day. Life here and now is one of joy, unspeakable rejoicing, praise, worship, and thanksgiving because of this great offense, the cross of Jesus Christ, the crucifixion, and the resurrection.So, my fellow Christians, on Easter Sunday and every other day, may we praise God for Jesus of Nazareth, and:THANK GOD FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT!